BLACKBURN Youth Zone bosses say they are celebrating their busiest start to the year since opening in 2012.

The Jubilee Street centre has recently welcomed Leon Crosby as head of operations, moving from the founding Youth Zone, Bolton Lads and Girls Club.

Mr Crosby has reviewed and launched a new programme for 2020.

Since January over 1,200 young people from across Blackburn with Darwen have attended the youth zone in total 5,172 times, where they have the option of taking part in arts, sports, digital design, music, issue-based projects and much more. 

Mr Crosby said: “What we have achieved so far has been incredible and we are only just getting started. 

“Through consulting with young people and parents we are meeting the needs of our members by providing a high-quality service for all children and young people of the borough.

“Our enthusiastic and dedicated team are driving forward the new programme and we have been able to implement some fantastic changes, such as enrichment night, an informal learning curriculum, projects which promote social integration, a digital media provision and a sports offer which gives young people the chance to simply have a go or take their skills and aspirations onto the competitive field.

“We now believe we have the correct foundations to continue to grow, thrive and have a massive impact on the town’s young people, who simply and rightfully deserve the very best.”

Former Blackburn MP Jack Straw, chair of BYZ, said: “Blackburn Youth Zone is one of  the most important projects in the town, giving all young people a safe and inspiring place to go and learn new skills. 

“The team at Youth Zone work incredibly hard. Since  2012, we have impacted over 14,000 young people from across the borough, with a quarter of these coming from the top five most deprived wards in Blackburn with Darwen which falls into the top 15 most deprived boroughs in the country.

“In 2019, 37 per cent of BYZ members came from the top five areas in Blackburn with Darwen with the highest current reports for anti-social behaviour.

“We are one of the few institutions in the borough to cover young people from all ethnic backgrounds."