All about the love and the laughter

TODAY WE TALK TO BYKER COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

What will you do with this year’s Wish money? This year’s Wish Fund will be used to support our fundraising for apprenticeships. We are keen to employ and offer training to young people not in education or employment and who live in Byker. Tell us about your group. Byker Community Centre is a charitable organisation based in the middle of the Byker Wall. We have a range of activities from breakfast clubs, youth groups, art and crafts to food projects, employment support, benefit advice and gardening. We have more than 25 volunteers, seven trustees and can have up to 250 people a day coming to the centre. We support local people to participate in our activities. We have a wide age range from one-year-old to 90-years-old. What kind of activities take place at your group? So many! From breakfast clubs and youth clubs to LGBT groups, after school clubs and art exhibitions. So much more too. Who is the longest serving member of your group? Captain Gordon Hawkins has been a member of and now running the Boys Brigade for more than 50 years!

Tell us about the biggest or best activity or event your group has organised.

We love our yearly Science Day. For the last couple of years we have received funding from The Royal Society of Chemistry to get local scientists together to create experiments with young people in and around the Byker Community Centre. We make rockets, blow things up (with proper supervision!) and always have a special super hero guest making an appearance. What is your group’s proudest moment to date? We have many – however we are so proud of our summer breakfast club. The fact that at least 200 breakfasts and lunches a week were enjoyed by under 12s from the estate alongside their parents created such a buzz and opened opportunities for the centre and the local people. Why should someone join your group? We have loads of opportunities for people. There is a space for everyone in our cracking community centre.

What makes you proud to be from the North East using five words?

Definitely the love and laughter.