YOUNG PEOPLE and staff at Peasedown St John Youth Centre are celebrating today after receiving a cheque for £1,000 thanks to the efforts of their local Bath & North East Somerset Councillor.

 

£1,000 Giveaway:  Cllr Hartley (centre) handing over a cheque for £1,000 to young people at PSJ Youth Centre. Also pictured are Gail Coleshill (far left) (Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate) and Cllr Sarah Bevan.

This morning residents, young people and staff at the centre congratulated Nathan on his efforts as he handed over the cheque. He said:

“When you truly and passionately believe in something you’ll go that extra mile to make a difference. That has always been my feeling towards Peasedown Youth Centre and following the Council’s cuts to the youth service budget last year I wanted to do all I could to ensure my local youth centre would not be threatened with closure. 

I would like to thank the many people who have sponsored me and in particular Bridie Marshall, the Leader at the Youth Centre, for her encouragement. Bridie is a great asset not just to the Youth Centre but the whole of Peasedown. We are very lucky to have her.

I have great faith that she, along with the young people and her colleagues will put the money to good use.” 

Since being elected to the Council in May 2007 Nathan has been an active opponent of the cuts to the youth service and has heavily criticised the Conservatives who run Bath and North East Somerset Council for closing youth centres in the authority despite claiming to ‘protect’ frontline youth work.

During February’s Full Council meeting Liberal Democrats put forward an amendment to the Tory Budget to re-invest £75,000 in frontline youth work but this was defeated by the Tories due to support from the Independent Councillors.