Youth Clubs
Youth provision in Wonford has dwindled over recent years: the former Youth Club at the Shakespeare Road Centre is now housing and the Wednesday Club at Wonford Methodist Church is no more.
The Phoenix Youth Club, between the Community Centre and Sports Centre, had different sessions for different age groups and also a successful football team. But in 2014, due to Government cuts, Devon County Council decided to close most of their Youth Clubs and the final Phoenix Youth Club session was held on July 2014.
The Trustees of Wonford Community and Learning Centre (WCLC) with support from a small group of local residents decided to take on the building. The paperwork took some time but the renamed Phoenix Suite was officially opened in 2017 and youth provision returned!
The Community Centre employ a Youth worker to run a Youth Cafe for young people in Years 7, 8 and 9. This is on Thursday evenings (term time only) from 6pm to 8pm.
Following a break due to the pandemic Youth Cafe restarted on May 6th
The Community Centre subsidise the Beanies Club run by the WASP project for children in Year 4,5 and 6.
Following a break due to the pandemic Beanies restarted on September 28th
Youth Cafe run by the Community Centre for years 7,8 and 9
Thursday eveings (term time) from 6pm to 8pm
Please note that due to illness there are not enough staff/ volunteers for the Youth Cafe to run currently.
We hope to be back soon! Watch this space!
Beanies Club run by the WASP (Wonford and St Pauls) Project
Heavitree Parish are no longer able to run the WASP Project so the wonderful youth and community worker Andy Shiach is off to pastures new. Huge thanks to Andy for all he has done in Wonford and good luck for the future!
Sadlly this means that the Beanies club is no more!
Andy has passed on ‘heartfelt thanks to the Trustees of Wonford Community and Learning Centre for their support over the years. The use of the Phoenix Suite has been instrumental in the success of both Beanies and our summer projects’
Here is Andys facebook post following the final Beanies session on 5th April.
‘Beanies has always been a popular and busy little group, with nothing going on for this age and mix of children in the estate, and tonight (our final session) was no different, we had over 30 cheeky little faces (and that was without of few of our regular ones!)
My gratitude as always to my creative and long term partner in grime (they are messy bunch) Nicky, who laid on one of her wonderful spreads in seemingly no time at all (capably supported by Trish, an equally amazing addition to our team).
Beanies has been running for over 7 years and over that time we have had dozens, nay hundreds of faces. It has been wonderful to see lots of the children come over from our various school groups, and as time has gone by vice versa as I have worked with regular Beanie children in the school setting as well.
I have many happy Beanie memories, from squeezing 20 odd children in the old Post Office in December with Nicola and Karen, and having to put craft tables out on the pavement and open the curtains for extra light as we created christmas boxes! To summer evenings up at Mushroom Park, and over to Chestnut Park (Ivy Johns) with Nic, Nicky, Sue and Ice Creams (or Smors in Ludwell Valley)
It was a relief and a blessing when our friends from the Wonford Methodist Church offered us the use their Hall for a year whilst the renovation work happened in our most recent home- The Phoenix Suite, and it is the WCLC I would like to finally say a big thank you to, they have supported us these past few years in the free use of the building, the space has been perfect for our needs.
As you see, it has been a real community effort to give the children a safe and engaging space.
Great times and great children!’