Major refurbishment for eastside youth centre

Scores of young people from the east of Swansea are benefitting from a major refurbishment of a youth centre in their community.

Improvements at the Stadwen Youth Centre on Bethel Road in Llansamlet include repainting, redecorating, a new seating area, new lighting, new flooring, better toilets, additional power points, a breakfast bar and a computer area.

The centre’s hair and beauty salon has also been upgraded with better facilities than ever before.

The refurbishment work, carried out by N&D Building Contractors of Kidwelly, was made possible with funding from consumer giants Unilever, who wanted to leave a legacy for young people in Swansea after the closure of the former Alberto Culver factory in Swansea Enterprise Park.

Rixonway Kitchens also donated a made-to-measure, free kitchen to the centre. Unilever’s funding has led to the introduction of a new cooker, a microwave, a dishwasher, a freezer and a wall-mounted plasma TV in the kitchen.

Chris Williams, Swansea Council’s Head of Commercial Services, said: “Not only was the commercial team able to work with Unilever to identify community projects they were happy to fund, but officers were also able to arrange a free kitchen for the Stadwen Youth Centre, too.

“We’re hugely grateful to both Unilever and Rixonway Kitchens for their generosity because these refurbishment works will benefit many hundreds of young people in the east of Swansea in years to come.

“The refurbishment is leading to many advantages for the young people who use the centre. The new kitchen will improve their cookery and knowledge of healthy food, the upgraded salon will boost their employability skills and the computer room will help with any educational or research work they need to do.

“This is another example of the commercial team’s work to identify opportunities that will improve local people’s health and wellbeing, while saving the council money during a time when the authority is facing an unprecedented budget deficit.”

The Stadwen Youth Centre is open to all young people aged between 11 and 25 from areas including Clydach, Graigfelen, Clase, Caemawr, Morriston, Birchgrove, Llansamlet, Trallwyn, Bonymaen, Waun Wen, St Thomas and Port Tennant.

The centre is also used by Communities First as a base for a jobs club and various courses.

The £92,500 Unilever community benefit funding has been used to help cover the costs of a scheme called Wheels to Work as well. This scheme, also funded by the Welsh Government, has been launched in a bid to provide vital transport for workers in Swansea who either don’t have their own transport or find it difficult to use public transport services.