A VILLAGE is fighting to save its youth club.

Kennington Youth Club is at risk of permanently shutting up shop after closing last year because of falling numbers.

Chairman Roy King, of The Avenue, Kennington, said there had been an independent youth club in the village for more than 60 years, fostered by generations of young people and their families.

But he said without youngsters to shape its future, adult volunteers to help run it, and people from the village to join its management committee, the club would not reopen.

Families re now are being encouraged to attend an emergency meeting at the club — which is behind the village hall — on Monday, July 13, at 6.30pm.

Mr King said: “If there is no support from the village the club will close forever at the end of September and the building will be lost to youth work.

“I’ve been chairman of the club for a long time, but I’m past my prime. We need new volunteers and a younger element, say 10 plus, to join.”

The management committee has been working with Oxfordshire County Council and the Oxfordshire Association of Young People to get the club started again, but to no avail.

Parish council chairman Peter Biggs said it was up to families in the village to decide whether they wanted the club to stay open.

He said: “It’s a typical youth club — there’s two rooms and a kitchen, a pool table and table tennis table.

“Whether there’s a need for youth club these days, I don’t know.

“Numbers have been dwindling for 20 years. It was quite successful in the 1970s, but things have changed.

“The parish council isn’t involved in the meeting, but I think it’s the last chance for people in the village to say whether they want a club.”

Fellow parish councillor Colin Charlett added: “My own personal view is that it would be a great shame to see the club finish. It has been going for many years, it has a nice building and nice facilities, but it’s fallen into disuse and disrepair.

“Unfortunately it’s a sign of the times. Nowadays kids would sooner sit in front of a TV or play computer games.

“It’s like the old saying, you can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. I don’t know what the answer is, but if people want to keep the club they need to attend the meeting and support the club.

“With only half a dozen people, it isn’t viable.”

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk