Bolton Lads and Girls Club in Westhoughton
NOTICE: These services are no longer being offered in Westhoughton (2022), with the local centre being closed down and focus being on the £2.5m refurbished town centre flagship 'Infinity' Centre on Spa Road, Bolton. A Sports facility is up and running at Braken Lane, Darcy Lever. For Bolton Lads and Girls Club Youth Service enquiries visit their website.
The new facility opened its doors on Monday, 18th January 2016 (Bolton News), currently open 5 evenings a week. Sessions cost 50p, with an annual membership of £3. During summer evening sessions are free. Activities include: games (pool, air hockey); arts and crafts; a well-equipped gym; dance-fitness; TV game access… plus leader-led activities by trained staff and volunteers.
The Centre has proven very popular, and is also has Outreach Teams going into the community to promote the Centre, sometimes finding youths out and about of an evening. The Centre has been supported by Westhoughton Town Council with funding.
In time, additional provision has been extended to include mentoring, career help as well as work areas for homework and projects.
- Mondays 5pm to 8pm - Youth Club SEND (ages 8-12 / -14 with SEND)
- Tuesdays and Thursdays 5pm to 8:30pm - Junior Youth Club (ages 8-12)
- Wednesdays 6pm to 9pm | Saturdays 5pm to 9pm - Senior Youth Club (ages 12-19)
- Monday to Friday 8am to 12pm | 12pm to 6pm to 9:00pm - Playscheme* & Junior Youth Club (ages 8-12)
*Free to those on Free School Meals, in Care, or SEND.
Paid spaces available: from 8am-6pm (£10) or 12pm-6pm (£6)
Junior Youth Club
Junior Youth Club provision engages with different young people every week and is dedicated to young people aged 8-12. Open Tuesday and Thursday from 5:00pm to 8:30pm every week, providing a wide range of positive, enriching activities in a safe, nurturing and fun environment. Young people have the opportunity to explore and develop their own interests and experience a extensive range of new activities along the way.
Senior Youth Club
Senior Youth Club offers young people from all over the town a chance to participate in a wide range of activities. Open every week Wednesday 6:00pm to 9:00pm and Saturday 5:00pm to 9:00pm, offering a warm and safe environment where they can meet with their friends, make new ones and explore their individuality through activities such as arts and crafts, sport, and drama.
There's a whole range of activities, projects and opportunities to get involved with. These include: Dance sessions, arts and craft, and so much more.
For further information see Bolton Lads and Girls Club | Westhoughton Youth Club
or call 01204 540100. Main Centre: Bolton Lads & Girls Club, 18 Spa Rd, Bolton BL1 4AG
Volunteers and Mentors Needed
A little time to spare?
To help with running the sessions and activities, and supervising attendees, BLGC welcomes new volunteers… free training will be given and a free DBS check done.
Those interested in being a part of the new Westhoughton Youth Club set-up should contact 01204 540100 or email: haf@blgc.co.uk.
Background & History
Attending the WCN meeting 18th February 2015, Karen Edwards CEO gave a presentation on the new BLGC venue in Westhoughton at the former Primary School site on Central Drive (shared with the College and Marital Arts Group), providing an information sheet detailing plans and objectives.
On May 20th May, WCN was sent an update on on progress, which has been slower than anticipated…
Karen Edwards OBE, Chief Executive of Bolton Lads and Girls Club writes:
- Negotiations regarding the lease, etc., with Bolton Council have been on hold during the election process. Now resumed.
- Refurbishment costs to get the building fit for purpose to be anything between £50,000-70,000; currently identifying potential funders for this work. A new Project Co-ordinator is being recruited.
- BLGC expect to open the building after the summer school holidays.
- Local businesses are keen to support the project, and BLGC is working closely with some key individuals to develop a patrons scheme who will support the project financially.
- In the meantime, children and young people are being picked up by coaches from both Westhoughton High and Washacre Primary School each week to ensure they get access to Club facilities and activities at the Spa Road facility.
(Taken from WCN meeting minutes - 20th May 2015)
Download information sheet (February 2015) regarding plans and objectives for this new youth facility in Westhoughton. BLGC (Westhoughton).
In July 2015 Bolton Lads and Girls Club were awarded £50,000 from Bolton Council's 'Community Empowerment Fund' to develop a range of "targeted and universal youth services in the Westhoughton area" in a scheme to involve residents, community groups and agencies to provide youth services, as previewed at the February 2015 WCN meeting, thus developing and enhancing youth provision in the town.
The CEF programme is designed to encourage groups and charities to provide much needed services within their communities, saving the Council money in the long term whilst improving people's lives locally - the initial tranche of one-off funding focusing on youth provision. Article (Bolton News).
As a result of this award, and as part of the budgetary review by Bolton Council - it being a goal of the 'Community Empowerment Fund' to have external bodies provide services, in 2015 there was review of the Council's Youth Services - Council-run youth centre provision at the John Holt Centre has ceased, the new, bespoke BLGC Central Drive facility taking on this responsibility.
Update (19/10/15): Under the stewardship of Karen Openshaw, with an enthusiastic team in place involving representatives from across the community, it is all systems go as work began in September on fitting out this exciting, new youth facility - a £75,000 project. Contributions from volunteers and local businesses have seen lightening progress at the Central Drive site - key will be the refitting the interior of the dilapidated former classrooms into fist class facilities. The work is scheduled to take a couple of months. Fundraising is in hand to both complete the project and ensure its sustainability.
'It's A Knockout' 2016
Organised by W.A.C.O., the popular 'It's A Knockout' event - a Community Funday - returned to the Central Drive playing fields on Sunday, 22nd May, with its mix of family fun, attractions, and a madcap team competition. With good crowds, this year's event helped to to raise additional funds for the 'Westhoughton Youth Project' - W.A.C.O. were able to make a substantial donation of £1,000 from proceeds of thee event. People were also able to find out more about the new Westhoughton facility.