YOUNG people at a Witney youth centre will take its fundraising efforts to businesses in person.

Base 33 in High Street, which was visited by Prime Minister David Cameron this week, is asking traders for donations.

Meanwhile, a new youth club is set to open in the town and Witney Young People’s Centre is going through a £1m revamp.

Mr Cameron, who is MP for Witney, launched his “all-out war” on gangs at Base 33 on Monday.

Young people from the centre will visit Witney businesses to deliver a letter asking for donations of £50 or £100.

The letter says: “All we’re asking local businesses and companies to do is to think of the costs incurred by businesses across the country and be relieved we do not have to do the same in Witney.”

Base 33 manager Claire Dowan said: “It may seem strange to some that, at a time when the youth of the UK all are being portrayed as being antisocial and feral, we are asking businesses to make a contribution to our work.

“We play a vital role working with our young people to make sure they have support and guidance, encouraging them to feel part of their community and providing them with opportunities to find work, go to college or re-engage with school.

“We very much hope local business people, who we know support our work, will feel able to make a contribution to the town’s young people and the benefit they derive from Base 33.”

The centre bounced back from the prospect of cutting 75 per cent of its work two months ago. Public donations had halved in a year.

Support for teenage mothers, schemes to get young people into work and drop-in services were under threat. But it was saved after Oxford Mail readers donated more than £10,000.

Meanwhile, St Mary’s Church in Church Lane will launch a youth club in the newly opened Madley Park Hall in Northfield Farm Lane from September. It will cater for youngsters from Wood Green School on Wednesdays, when the school closes early, from 1pm to 5pm. St Mary’s Church youth pastor Ugo Anagor said: “The church’s goal is to be an ambassador of love in the community. I am trying to engage young people and create programmes that are fun, to keep them away from any negatives.”

Witney Young People’s Centre in Witan Way is going through a £1m revamp to create a new access and office rooms. The centre should open in January.