Young people restore community centre

A team of young people from the Maindee Youth Project in Newport have been working to restore a room in their community centre after it was targeted by vandals.

The young people, aged between 12 and 16, have been painting and decorating the room at the Maindee Community House on Eaton Road during their after school club.

The restoration was paid for by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, which has granted the Maindee Youth Project funding to run educational and diversionary youth projects in the school holidays.

Lead youth worker Zenia Hamid said: “The young people have been working hard to repair the damage that these vandals caused. The vandalism was obviously upsetting for our members but they have been really positive and done a fantastic job to make the room look colourful and vibrant.

“We are grateful for funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Office which has allowed us to run projects for young people over the summer, and has meant that we were able to carry out this work.”

Jeff Cuthbert, Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, said: “The Maindee Youth Project does some important diversionary work with young people from the local community, helping to keep them away from crime and antisocial behaviour during the holidays and after school.

“This vandalism was appalling but I am delighted to see how the project workers have turned it into a positive activity to engage with the young people they support and the results are fantastic.”