A NEW youth club has been launched to bring much-needed facilities to young people in Oxford.

The North Hinksey Youth Club was originally set up last year, only to close after a few weeks due to a lack of volunteers.

But after a new recruitment drive, which has seen nine volunteers step forward, the club is up and running again.

Volunteer Darren Blase, 41, said: “The club got some funding last year as part of the Botley parish plan to introduce improvements to the area.

“But it was only being advertised by word of mouth, so wasn’t very successful.

“There has also been a bit of an upsurge in graffiti around here, so hopefully this will help combat that.”

The club opened last Wednesday after leaflets were posted through the doors of more than 500 homes, attracting nine youngsters during its first session and 13 the following week.

Mr Blase said: “The important thing is getting the word out there so young people know they have somewhere to go if they are at a loose end.

“The first few weeks might be tough but then we can start to organise events to come in once a month, things like street dancing.”

Mr Blase’s six-year-old daughter Isabella and a one-month-old baby Arianna are too young to attend the youth club.

But he said he felt it was important to get involved in the local community.

The youth club is for children aged from 11 to 15 and will meet every Wednesday, except for during half term, from 7.30pm for two hours at Botley Baptist Church Hall.

Mr Blase added: “I went to a youth club and I know how much I enjoyed it and how much benefit I got from it, so there should be more around Oxford.

“At the moment we have an Xbox and a table tennis table, but the idea is to see what the people want and to buy things from there.”

Among the nine new volunteers are students from Oxford Brookes University as well as residents living nearby.

Briony Newport, from North Hinksey Parish Council, wished the youth club well.

She said: “My husband Roy and I helped set up a youth club in the 1980s, so we know how vital they can be.

“Hopefully this will provide a good place for children to go every week.”