Gillian Bowen, in pink, and Peter McCorkell, Partner at Sidley Austin (second left) at the launch

A NEW Youth Centre that will cater for more than 1,000 young people has been opened in Old Street.

The VYBZ Youth Hub, which is managed by YMCA London City and North, and funded by law firm Sidley Austin LLP, opened its doors last week.

Young people aged eight to 18 will have access to a recording studio, arts and crafts activities, cooking workshops, and theatre trips.

Gillian Bowen, the CEO of YMCA London City and North, said she hopes the hub will give young people, mainly from the Bunhill ward, the chance “to engage in different opportunities where perhaps they wouldn’t be able to afford to do so, or would not have had the confidence to do so”.

Youth clubs have faced cuts nationally over the past 10 years, and Ms Bowen said the YMCA London City and North would welcome increased funding in the future.

She said that without the additional support from Sidley Austin they would not have been able to get the project off the ground.

She added: “Looking ahead, one of the things that YMCA would be keen on seeing is a continued investment in youth services by both the council and private industry,”

Ms Bowen praised local government in Islington, however, for considering young people in their proposals for the borough.

She said: “Ward councillors absolutely see and understand the need to provide services for young people. They get it and they are quite active.”

Councillor Valerie Bossman-Quarshie, who is also a YMCA trustee, said the opening of the VYBZ was “a big deal”. She said: “If you think about the needs of the local community, this is going to be vibes. You’ve got that space to help them produce music, and be their innovative selves.

“It was such an honour to be there. It was a poignant moment. For us Islingtonians who were born and raised here, what we never had, we want to make sure our kids have.”