A POPULAR youth project is set to expand thanks to a £15,000 grant.

Base 33, based in Welch Way, Witney, has been given the money to launch its services in nearby Carterton.

The money will pay for two outreach workers to visit the town once a week to meet youngsters who may not already attend a youth club.

They will identify any problems, and point them to places that can help.

Last week, Base 33 received a special award for its work with disadvantaged children after being nominated by Witney MP and Conservative Party leader David Cameron.

The project works with young people who are about to be excluded from school, helping pupils to finish their GCSEs and achieve life skills.

It also helps children whose brothers or sisters have been convicted of crimes.

Manager Claire Dowan said: “We work with young people who may not feel comfortable accessing services and may not necessarily want to walk through our door.

“We meet people on the streets and build a relationship with them.

“We find out what their needs are and encourage them to use the building and signpost them on to other agencies, which has worked really well in Witney.”

Members of Base 33 visited the House of Commons to pick up the Kids Count Inspiration Award from Olympic gold medallist Linford Christie.

Mr Cameron nominated the group for its work with children who have lost their way.

Ms Dowan said: “Where there might be perceived problems with antisocial behaviour, we tend to focus on those areas.

“We will then encourage young people to access the services available and then find out why they tend not to go, whether there is the need to develop new projects and initiatives in Carterton.”

Outreach worker Mark Bennett said: “The best thing for us is that it will be a new group of young people.

“It will be really nice to bring them to some of the projects that work in Witney.

“The first thing we have got to do is build a trusting relationship with youngsters.”

The Carterton outreach work has been funded by the Community Safety Partnership, a group made up of West Oxfordshire District Council and Thames Valley Police.

The partnership gives the Witney branch up to £15,000 a year funding.

Monica Downton, the partnership’s neighbourhood services manager, said: “We have been pleased with what Base 33 has done in Witney.

“Carterton is our third-largest town and so it is good to have as good a coverage as we can.”

Drop-in sessions run Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm, and a youth club runs on Mondays, from 7pm to 9.30pm. Between September and December, 150 different children used the Witney facilities.