Excitement is mounting in Flackwell Heath as the first youth club for years is set to open in the village next week.

After months of meetings and planning, the new youth club is set to open its doors to offer youngsters a place to “chill out” and give them something to do with their spare time.

The club will be open for 11 to 16-year-olds and will be run by volunteers for two hours every Monday evening in the hall of the Flackwell Heath Methodist Church.

With a cash injection of £5,500 from Buckinghamshire County Council boosting their fundraising effort, the group will offer the teenagers a variety of games and equipment.

Former Wooburn and Bourne End Parish and district councillor Simon Fowke has been heavily involved in the new project, spearheading plans alongside Flackwell Heath councillors, David Johncock and Jeff Herschel as well as Action 4 Youth.

Mr Fowke said: “Young people in this age group are so heavily engaged with their homework these days that they need, in their own words, 'to chill out sometimes with their friends'.

“There hasn’t been a youth club in Flackwell Heath for several years, and this has been a fantastic success in terms of enthusiastic volunteers from the local community coming forward to run the youth group but a few more male volunteers coming forward would be the icing on the cake.”

The new group aims to complement clubs at Wooburn Green and Bourne End, and the chairman of Chepping Wycombe Parish Council and County Council’s Chepping Wye Valley Local Community Partnership (LCP), Councillor Katrina Wood, is looking forward to the opening.

Cllr Wood, said: “The LCP identified the need for increased activities and facilities for young people as part of its priority to look after the community’s health and well-being. “Progress has already been made in this area with the creation of volunteer-run youth clubs in Wooburn Green and Bourne End with funding support from the parish council and LCP.

“However, the LCP was also aware that there was no club in Flackwell Heath and therefore agreed to contribute £5,500 for the start-up costs.

“It is wonderful to see this long wanted youth club getting going and with such good local support from volunteers to help run it.

“The LCP is pleased to have been able to help fund such a worthwhile project."

For more details on the new club, please ring Michelle on 07917 567147.