A popular youth club in Ross-on-Wye is launching exciting new DJ and music-mixing sessions this summer, thanks to fresh funding support from Vimto - while also appealing for new volunteers to help safeguard the club’s future for the next generation.

The Basement Youth Club, a long-established community facility in the town since 1995, welcomes around 120 young people each week across its three weekday evening sessions.

Now, young people will be able to take part in special taster sessions in DJ’ing and music mixing on Tuesday 23 June and Tuesday 7 July, ahead of a full programme of workshops launching this autumn. The project has been made possible through new funding from Nichols, the international soft drinks company best known for the Vimto brand, which operates a production facility in Ross-on-Wye.

The new music initiative adds to the wide range of activities already available at the club, including sports hall ball games, dance sessions, healthy eating and food preparation activities, arts and crafts, board games, gaming consoles, pool, chill-out spaces and collaborative creative projects with partner organisations.

With many youth clubs across the UK having disappeared over the last three decades, Ross-on-Wye remains fortunate to have a thriving and well-supported facility at the heart of the community.

The club maintains its operations through the active fundraising efforts of the volunteer committee, who apply for contributions from charitable organisations, specific funds and the private sector, but support from the community and their involvement in the running of the club remains essential to ensuring its long-term future.

The Basement Youth Club is now looking for new members to join its voluntary management committee, which oversees the running and strategic direction of the club. The role requires only a modest time commitment of around four to six hours per month.

Committee Chair Anne Richards said: “The Basement Youth Club is an incredibly important part of Ross life and has been supporting young people in our town for 30 years. We’re very proud that the club continues to thrive at a time when so many similar facilities elsewhere have sadly closed.

“We would love to hear from local people who care about young people and community life and who may be interested in joining our committee. You don’t need specialist experience — just enthusiasm and a willingness to help ensure the club continues to flourish for years to come.”

Founded after researching local needs, the Basement Trust began in a sweet shop basement to support Ross-on-Wye's youth. They later partnered with Herefordshire Youth Services at the "YZone" community centre, establishing a "gold standard" for youth work. When council services closed, the Trust maintained evening sessions despite the building's sale to Ross Baptist Church (now "The Venue"). Today, the Trust continues adapting, offering young people a safe space to socialise and access support from positive youth worker role models.

Anyone interested in finding out more about joining the committee or supporting the club can contact Anne Richards at: [email protected]