Mission & History

Our Mission Statement

The provision and maintenance of a youth centre and facilities and activities to help young people resident in Pershore and surrounding villages, including the wider community and its neighbourhoods, especially but not exclusively through leisure time activities, so to develop their physical, mental and spiritual capabilities that they may grow to full maturity as individuals and members of society and that their conditions of life maybe improved and enhanced.

Our charitable aims and objectives are to work with children of all ages, to improve their lives and enable them to develop and contribute to their community. For our purposes, ‘Young People’ refers to 9-17 year-olds in youth clubs; up to age 25 for 1:1 career guidance. In 2022 we are expanding our outreach service to neighbouring villages.

Pershore’s Riverside Youth Centre really does change lives. Ryan was a regular youth club member for many years, after which he chose to become a youth support volunteer. His campaign to make the younger children more aware of the dangers of ‘Legal Highs’ was a real success. Ryan gained his Level 2 Youth Work Certificate and is still with us as a valued member of the youth leader team – running sessions and passing on his experience to a whole new group of young people. He combines this with his ‘proper job’ as an engineer at a local company.

History

In 1994 Pershore Riverside Youth Centre registered as a charity. In 1995, following the closure of its original premises, a new Youth Centre was built on land owned by Pershore Town Council. On 27 March 2014, the charity re-registered as Pershore Riverside Centre CIO, In 2017, a successful fundraising campaign resulted in an extensionm, comprising two additional rooms, decking and a canoe/kayak store. This is used by Wychavon Canoe & Kayak Club and Bonkers Activities, which provide water sports for the young people. The whole building is owned and managed by the charity, with rent payed to the council for the land. This unassuming but well-appointed building plays a crucial role in supporting young people and helping to change their lives.