Chichester Boys’ Club wants to contact as many past members as possible in its centenary year

Many thousands of young people have benefitted from the activities and services of the club in Little London. The Boys’ Club wants as many as possible to get in touch so they can contribute to a Book of Memories and come to a get together in Little London centre later this year.

Despite the historic name, today’s members include roughly similar numbers of both girls and boys who are encouraged to have a voice and discuss what they would like to do and how they can achieve it. Supervisors are trained in youth work and the club also welcomes volunteers who enjoy supporting young people, for whom training can be provided.

An important part of the continuing ethos of the club is that in serving the young people and the wider community, priority is extended to those who are disadvantaged, or socially isolated or who have disabilities.

For the first time since the many years of austerity, the Boys Club has recently been able to employ a dedicated Youth Development Leader, Chris Williams — thanks to a generous pump-priming grant.

Chris has already made huge strides in developing and expanding the services for Chichester’s young people whilst maximising the use of the facilities at the club’s Little London Centre.

Chris said: “Our young people have come through a difficult couple of years of lockdown and we’re delighted to help them to take full advantage of all the life-enhancing opportunities that we now can offer.”

Some examples of the many different activities that are now provided for young people at the club’s Little London centre are:

• Senior and Junior Youth Clubs on Tuesday and Friday evenings

• Boxing Coaching with sessions for juniors and seniors on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

• Sporting Events within the club’s extensive sports hall and its adjacent facilities are being developed with sports’ tutors & students of both the city’s University and the College

• An Autism Group meets at the club’s Little London centre on Saturdays for young adults who are usually high on the Autism spectrum; they enjoy a wide range of activities, all with excellent support

• Childcare in School Holidays is now provided for 5-10 year old children to support young families needing affordable childcare. An expanded summer holiday programme is to be introduced which will cost just £1 a day per child every Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• Extra support for families: Discussion sessions for parents & carers have been started eg on coping-techniques and sources of support at times of stress

• A six-week slow-cooker course for families is being run, including the gift of a free slow cooker and recipe book.

When discussing the Club’s various activities and new ventures, Youth Leader, Chis Williams said: “New volunteers are most welcome to get in touch to enquire about helping out with any of the club’s activities, for whom training can be provided.”Ring 01243 782462 for extra information on all topics - or email [email protected]

Also see: chichesterboysclub.gov.uk

Other Activities at the Little London Centre:• Duke of Edinburgh Award: The Little London centre is now the operational base in the area for the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme for young people.

• “Extra Time” Scheme by RMF - The Russell Martin Foundation (RMF) is a charity that has become an important user group at the Little London centre over the last 18 months. Under the RMF’s ”Extra Time” scheme, each term a dozen or so teenagers, who have been struggling with significant problems in attending school, are sponsored by their local schools to take part in an especially designed teaching course held at the Boys’ club’s premises each school-day to help overcome their problems. A new cohort attends each term. The scheme has a high success rate in getting youngsters back on track and returning to normal schooling.

• Young Carers’ Group The centre provides a base for regular sessions for a Young Carers’ Group.

• The Apuldram Charity: The club is pleased to provide dedicated accommodation for the charity’s city hub for young adults with a learning disability.

• The Chichester Lunch Club (a charity in its own right) provides lunch and fun activities on Tuesdays & Thursdays for older people living with mental health problems, mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

• The Richmond Fellowship Charity holds twice weekly sessions to help adults with mental health recovery at the Little London centre.

The range of activities that the club provides is continually growing and there are firm plans to add even more services with the help of the fund-raising efforts of the club’s trustees and the centre’s wonderful staff and volunteers, more of whom continue to be needed.

The Club is well-placed in having good-sized freehold premises in a central location in the heart of Chichester. What is in short supply is money — to replace annual County funding that had to be withdrawn through the years of nationally imposed austerity. Money is needed to continue to restore an extensive old building and to employ sufficient trained staff together with volunteers to encourage and bring out the best in our vulnerable young people.

Youth development leader, Chris Williams, said: “Chichester is so lucky to have these marvellous facilities and it’s my aim to make sure that they’re full of our great young people involved in a whole variety of exciting activities.”

During the centenary year, the Club wants to raise extra funds to increase the number of young people who come and use our facilities and to continue developing the range and quality of our services, whilst improving the Little London centre significantly, to help ensure that the Club continues to develop and prosper for generations to come.

Mike Turner, the Chairman of the Chichester Boys’ Club said: “The Boys’ Club is immensely grateful for the grant-aid that has helped the club continue, as well as the support that the local community, parents and our volunteers so generously provide. The club is honoured in 2023 to be the chosen featured charity at the Goodwood Revival in. the club’s centenary year.