Local Youths Help Clean Up Diesel Store

LOCAL youngsters and youth charity Onside NorthWest teamed up with Diesel UK to help restore perceptions of young people after last weeks riots - and help repair its Manchester store.

“Once again perceptions of young people have been damaged because of a small minority. The majority of young people are disgusted by what happened at riots."

Members of Bolton Lads and Girls Club and The Challenge, as well as future members of The Factory Youth Zone in Harpurhey came armed with paint brushes to give the outside of the Diesel store on Cross Street a make-over following the vandalism caused last Tuesday.

Jeremy Glover MBE, chief executive at OnSide said: “Once again perceptions of young people have been damaged because of a small minority. This event on Saturday proved that the majority of young people are disgusted by what happened at riots.

“We cannot hide from the social problems our society is facing. Disadvantaged young people are often bereft of places to go, positive things to do and reliable adults to talk to, and as a result develop anti social behaviour. It is this social breakdown that our Youth Zones across the Northwest are tackling head on.”

A spokesman for Diesel UK said: “The UK in particular has a culture like no other and the riots of the past week should not be a reflection of the diverse young society we have around us.

"Our streets should be a place where this talent and diversity is celebrated and supported to dive a positive message, and having our Manchester store be a part of this project should help do this.”

Established in 2008, OnSide Northwest is in the process of delivering world-class facilities for young people across the Northwest. With Carlisle Youth Zone already open, Blackburn, Manchester, Oldham and Wigan are soon to follow.

Once open each facility will offer young people a youth club service with more than 20 activities every evening, seven nights a week. Advice and guidance on health and wellbeing, enterprise and employment as well as a range of residentials, training, volunteering and mentoring opportunities will also be available.

Johannah Aynsley, chief executive of The Factory Youth in Manchester added: “I was encouraged and impressed by the young people’s behaviour on Saturday. Their vibrancy and energy drew in crowds of people who all talked of being happy and proud to see our town’s young people sending out a positive message to the region.

“There are reasons that certain youths feel disconnected from our community and we need to explore those to fully understand where all this anger and criminal behaviour is coming from. We are all responsible for nurturing a supportive and safe community where everyone has a voice and the chance of a fruitful future. If some young people are not feeling part of that then we need to ask them and ourselves why.”

The Factory Youth Zone in Harpurhey will open in January 2012.