Mercread Youth Centre

We at Mercread have lots to celebrate in 2023 with new youth club sessions and an exciting programme for the young people of Seaford. With our existing exercise classes and groups, we are delighted to bring more to offer the community of Seaford.

Since taking over as Chair in January 2022 it has been a year of change and huge progress for the Youth Centre. Not only have we had to make changes within the building, but also a new up-to-date approach was needed for our youth sessions. The Trustees and I are very excited to share with you the new sessions commencing 16th January 2023.

Mondays: Years 6,7,8 from 3.30-5.30pm Tuesdays: Years 9,10,11 from 6.30-8.30pm Wednesday: Girls only Years 6,7,8 Thursday: LBGTQ years 9,10,11 (Welcome to bring a friend/family member with you.) All above sessions are term time only.

During these sessions we will be creating a safe space where our young people can thrive, try out new skills, help us to create new ideas of what the young people want delivered at Mercread. All our new sessions will cover arts/crafts, sports-basketball/football, cooking and giving our young people a space to increase their mental and physical wellbeing. We need to nurture our young people and assist them in making the right choices not only for themselves but for the community around them, while offering a non-judgemental space that enhances a young person’s mental health, allows them to make new friendships and encourages young people to dream of a bright future.

We will also be offering workshops throughout the year, delivering drumming sessions, music lessons, the spoken word/rap, graffiti art, and offering HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programmes in the holidays. For us the emphasis for 2023 is to assist young people’s wellbeing, both mentally and physically, and to ensure the young people have a voice as they navigate through life. Our Youth Forum session is on a Tuesday at 3.30pm for an hour, and young people are welcome to come along and join the forum as it develops into a young person’s voice for Seaford.

Mercread has a long-standing history of serving the young people in Seaford, once called the Boy’s Club and Elm Court, I myself remember the fun we had as teenagers, the friendships and memories made. Later as a young single mum again, Mercread was a place I could go and be accepted and helped, as I learnt to be a parent. It is purely down to the hard work of my predecessors and their dedication that Mercread continues to be open and helping the young people of Seaford. I cannot thank enough those involved for many years for the passion and commitment they had for Mercread, and the new Trustees for their hard work in the last few months getting everything ready to reopen sessions in 2023 after temporarily suspending services.

The future really does feel bright for Mercread Youth Centre, and I am really excited at the fantastic team of youth workers we have and what they will deliver in the new year.

For any information regarding sessions or registering your young person for a session, please email myriam.mercread@gmail.com. For all classes and times please see the attached timetable.

From everyone at Mercread I wish you a Happy New Year. Miriam Thundercliffe (Chair).