A ‘spade in the ground’ event was held yesterday (Wednesday 17 January 2024) to mark the start of building work to revitalise and expand Riverside Youth Club in Deptford.
Lewisham Council and partners marked the start of construction work that will create a state-of-the-art 3G football pitch as well as games area, gym, indoor sports, kitchen, and flexible learning spaces for young people and the community.
The £1.2M project is being delivered by Lewisham Council in partnership with Youth First and Millwall Community Trust. This has been made possible by a generous £745,000 grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation. This was supported by a further public campaign led by Youth First resulting in substantial donations from private donors and local trusts and foundations to secure the award.
The revitalised Riverside Youth Club is expected to open its doors in autumn 2024. Preparatory work started on-site in October last year and full work, which will include internal refurbishments, roof works, and creation of outdoor spaces, is now getting underway.
Chris Barnham, Lewisham Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, was joined by representatives from Youth First and Millwall Community Trust and were among the first to put spades in ground as the project gathers pace.
Councillor Chris Barnham, Lewisham Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:
“This is a major milestone on our journey to provide a first-rate youth club for local children and young people. Since we announced that we were moving forward with this ambitious redevelopment, we’ve been engaging with the local community, who share our excitement about this exciting new facility and the positive impact it will have on the lives of local young people. It’s great to see progress being made and I look forward to coming back for the grand opening later this year!”.
Val Davison, Chair, Youth First CIO, said:
"This is the day we have all been waiting for – when the redevelopment of Riverside Youth Club begins in earnest to recreate a vibrant environment that will support the aspirations, wellbeing and creativity of young people to thrive and develop. While the construction work takes place over the next few months we will be working closely with local young people to co-produce an exciting and varied programme of activities that reflect what they would like to see, and deserve to have, in the ‘new’ Riverside when it reopens in the autumn.”
Sean Daly, CEO, Millwall Community Trust said:
“The Riverside Youth Club development will really make an impact in the local community, creating a base for local organisations to offer opportunities for residents around physical activity, sport, education and employment. We are honoured to be part of this great development for the borough and its local residents.”
