“The gym and dance space is brilliant. It feels like a proper studio and makes you want to get involved.”
The new and improved fitness suite at Kingston Youth Centre in Beverley Road, Hull(Image: Hull City Council)
A youth centre for young people aged 10 to 19 years in Hull has benefited from a bumper upgrade to the tune of £25,000. Kingston Youth Centre in Beverley Road now has a state-of-the-art fitness suite and a new kitchen.
Hull City Council invested £25,000 into refurbishing the kitchen at the centre. Extra funding from the government’s Better Youth Spaces Fund paid for the transformation of the studio – featuring a new dancefloor, full-length mirrors, surround sound system, smart TV, mood lighting, and fitness equipment
Now a vibrant, flexible space offering more things to do in Hull for children and teens, the studio hosts new Mixed Martial Arts taster sessions and other activities. Meanwhile, members of the Big Buzz and Buzzaballoo disability social sessions have been improving their dancing with a tutor once a month.
Youth centre user Sally said: “The gym and dance space is brilliant. It feels like a proper studio and makes you want to get involved and try new things.”
The improved kitchen is now used daily, enabling experimentation with new recipes. Daniel, one of the young people who uses the service, said: “The kitchen is looking so much better. We’ve been able to cook proper meals together and learn new skills. It’s made a big difference.”
Over the Easter Holidays, numerous health and wellbeing activities enabled both rooms to be used to their full potential. Young people enjoyed healthy cooking sessions, fitness, self-defence and yoga sessions.
Better Youth Spaces, a £30.5m capital grants programme funded by the UK Government and administered by Social Investment Business, aims to bring fast-paced benefits to young people. It funds small scale-capital projects of £5k-£100k, including capital equipment, small refurbishments and other capital projects to help youth organisations to better support the young people they work with.
Dean Davis, Youth Work Manager at Hull City Council, said: “I’m really proud of the great youth sector we have here in Hull, and the way we invest in our young people. The youth work sessions we deliver with our VCSE partners extends support and opportunity to young people around the city.
“This support from the council and Better Youth Spaces provides greater opportunities for young people to improve their health and well-being and nutritional knowledge. I am looking forward to working with our team to further develop our offer and transform more of our spaces and places this year.”
Pauline Turner, Director of Children’s Services at Hull City Council, added: “Investing in facilities like Kingston Youth Centre is about giving young people the opportunities they deserve.
“Making Hull a Child Friendly City is one of the most important aspects of our Community Plan. These improvements will help support their health, wellbeing and personal development, and it’s fantastic to see them already making such positive use of the space.”
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