An empty building in a neighbourhood miles away from the nearest youth club is to be transformed into a young persons' centre. Acorn House, on Back Deane Church Lane in Deane, Bolton, has been approved by Bolton Council to become a 'Be The Change' centre.
An planning officer report, published prior to the approval, said: "The application site has been chosen as it is in Bolton South East, which is ranked in the top 10 per cent most deprived areas in England. The area has high levels of deprivation, and young people come from families where there is often severe poverty, and stress caused by unemployment, mental and physical ill health.
The proposed use is capable of making a significant and positive contribution to the community provision available in the south of Bolton. The report said the youth centre would employ two full time employees and five part time employees. The Be The Change website states that the organisation has worked with GMP to deliver knife crime prevention schemes in Bolton schools and community settings. It adds: "Daniel Sukula came to the UK as a child refugee, and was inspired to establish Be The Change by the tremendous support his family received from the community of Bolton.