Down in the Whit Lane area, in the midst of the so-called, and never ending, 'regeneration', young people still have nothing to do.* The football pitch has been dug up, the Amber Project youth hut has been demolished and the only thing related to sport in the area, they tell us, is when they're getting chased by the police...
...However, Oliver's Youth Club, which was forced out of its previous premises at St Sebastian's Community Centre last year (see previous Salford Star article – click here) is now holding youth sessions on Friday nights at the recently opened cafe, The Lounge. And from this has come new recruits for the annual Oliver's charity bike ride to Blackpool tomorrow.
Eight young people will set off on the 63 mile ride from Whit Lane to raise money for The Christie, and Graham Cooper, who runs Oliver's Youth Club, says it is a bike ride with a difference...
"We've been working with young people who have been accused of causing anti-social behaviour and we've offered them the opportunity to do something really good for the community and for The Christie hospital" he explains "We've now got eight young people turning up on Sunday morning to do the bike ride, and they've all got their own sponsorship forms and have raised around £800 so far."
Leon is doing the bike ride for the first time... "We've been doing training by riding different routes to St Helens and Liverpool but this is going to be a killer" he says "but it's also going to be decent..."
Tom is also taking part... "It gets us out of trouble and is something to do" he says "I've done other ones and I'm really looking forward to this." And Mo adds: "We did Liverpool the other day but I can't wait for this ride..."
The bike ride is part of what the authorities call, 'engagement work', by Oliver's Youth Club, which is all voluntary...
"If you give young people a good opportunity and something that's a challenge they will get on board" Graham adds "The good work is still going on in the area..."
To support the lads and donate there is a JustGiving page as part of John's 5 Rides For the Christie – click here
* The Salford Star will be publishing a full article on the 'degeneration' of Whit Lane this week