Youngsters left ‘heartbroken’ over closure of youth club

YOUNG people with social communication difficulties have been left “heartbroken” after their local youth club announced its closure.

The club, known as Ice Breakers in Llanedeyrn, Cardiff, will shut its doors after the charity which runs it closes in March.

In a statement, Afasic Cymru said: “It is with regret and great personal sadness that I announce that due to funding issues, trustees of Afasic have taken the difficult decision to close Afasic operations in Wales.

“Afasic Cymru will cease to exist from March 31, 2018. The Cardiff office will close on January 31 and the North Wales office will close on March 31.”

The children who visit the Ice Breakers club said they now have nowhere to go to spend time with their friends.

One teenager, who did not want to be named, wrote a letter to the charity to express her concerns.

The letter said: “We all enjoy playing games and drawing together.

“I would be devastated if it really did end and I was furious and heartbroken when I was told the funding would be stopped.”

Her mum said she has difficulties communicating with others but was able to collect quotes from different members of the group to show how they feel about the centre closing.

She said: “They are all friends with each other. They are a small group but they all get on. It’s important for them. She feels like she fits in there.”

A spokeswoman for Afasic Cymru said the letter from the young people in Cardiff was “very sad” to read.

She said the youth club means so much to young people and it is one of many facilities that the organisation provides that will now disappear.

She said: “The funding for the youth projects has come from the Big Lottery, along with funding for our family support workers and much more.

“Afasic Cymru closing will leave a big gap in services for many young people across Wales and for many families alike. Being the only charity in Wales to represent these families we are sorry to be closing and wish that circumstances were very different.”

The Big Lottery Fund said Afasic Cymru was awarded £425,323 in January 2015 to deliver the Communities Communicating project over a threeyear period which has now ended.

A spokesman said: “Last year the Big Lottery Fund awarded over £40m to community projects supporting health, education and the environment across Wales. We recognise the great work Afasic has achieved and appreciate that this must be an upsetting time for those affected by the activities coming to an end.

“We continue to welcome applications through our funding programmes, further details of which are available at www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/wales”