WALLINGFORD’S new £177,000 youth centre is expected to open in the Autumn, thanks to a clean-up operation involving young volunteers.

On Saturday about 40 volunteers gathered at the former Assemblies of God church in Wigod Way to complete the clean-up inside and outside the building, paving the way for contractors to start work.

In October, Oxfordshire County Council cuts led to the closure of the ageing youth centre in Clapcot Way.

But the town council joined with children’s charity Pact (Parents and Children Together) to buy the abandoned evangelical church to create a new youth centre, children’s centre and home for the town’s food bank.

Wallingford youth worker Stacey Meadowcroft, 25, who took part, said: “A lot of the young people I work with are pupils at Wallingford School.

“They are very excited about this project so they volunteered to come down and help out by clearing away the rubbish.

“The walls inside the building were falling down and there was lots of old furniture that needed to be taken away. Some people brought chainsaws to tackle overgrown trees.

“This new centre will give young people a base.

“After it has been running for a while we hope to be able to offer a multi-agency approach to help young people aged 11 to 19 with the normal problems they face, whether it’s bullying, sexual health or drug advice issues.”

Town councillor Lynda Atkins said the clean-up was a “stonking success”, with the youngest volunteer aged four and the oldest, her mother and fellow town councillor Betty Atkins, 74.

Lynda Atkins, also an independent county councillor, added: “There was 10 years worth of litter and brambles around the outside of the church and that has been cleared up as well.

“About 20 young people came along and worked really hard. We filled a whole skip with rubbish. Now we are ready for a contractor to come in and will put the plans for the refurbishment out to tender. Our aim is to be ready to open in the Autumn.”