Station Youth Centre Celebrates Two Years of Supporting Young People in Hailsham

Hailsham Town Council is celebrating the second anniversary of the opening of The Station Youth Centre in Western Road, marking two years of providing young people with a dedicated, accessible and welcoming space at the heart of the community.

The opening of The Station in autumn 2024 marked an important new chapter for Hailsham Youth Service, following the Town Council’s purchase of the premises and the relocation of the Service’s operational centre to Western Road.

Hailsham Youth Service, which celebrated 25 years of operation last year, has supported thousands of young people over the years. From its original base at 1 Market Square, the Service has grown into an expanded operation working across Hailsham and the surrounding community.

Funded and managed by Hailsham Town Council, the Service provides activities, support and opportunities for young people, including the Hellingly Youth Hub, Monday Youth Hub sessions and a programme of free and low-cost activities through the Friday Night Project.

The Station is ideally located close to Hailsham town centre and the recreation ground, keeping the Youth Service firmly at the centre of the community. The nearly 400m² building also offers high levels of accessibility, including disabled access.

The ground-floor main hall, known as The Underground, has been developed as a dedicated lounge-style environment for young people, with comfortable seating, pool tables, air hockey, table tennis, table football, board games and games consoles including Nintendo Switch and Xbox.

The centre has continued to develop its programme, with new sessions introduced to reflect the interests and needs of young people. These include The Lounge, providing a relaxed space for young people in school years 6 to 12; Fusion, offering creative arts, drama, film, multimedia and music; On Track Hailsham, supporting young people aged 10 to 25 with special educational needs; Teens & Tweens, providing a social group for home-educated young people; and Network @The Underground, offering a dedicated social space for 18 to 25-year-olds.

At the same time, the Town Council also purchased The Manse, the neighbouring building next to The Station. The building is currently being developed by Hailsham Youth Service as a Family Support Centre, providing an additional dedicated space for support services alongside the Youth Service’s wider provision.

The Manse has recently benefited from the installation of new signage reflecting Hailsham Youth Service’s vision for the building. The Family Support Centre will provide space for counselling services, sexual health support services, small group workshops and one-to-one meetings, as well as offering an appropriate setting for staff meetings and supervision.

The provision at The Manse is expected to continue growing and developing, providing further opportunities for young people and families to access a range of support services within their local community.

Youth Service Manager Andy Joyes said: “The Station has given Hailsham Youth Service a fantastic base from which to continue developing and expanding the support and opportunities we provide for young people. Over the past two years, we have seen the centre become a busy and welcoming space where young people can socialise, try new things, develop skills and build positive relationships.”

“What has been particularly encouraging is seeing the centre evolve in response to what young people tell us they want and need. Our team works hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, and we are proud of what The Station has become in just two years.”

Deputy Youth Service Manager Joel Cottingham commented: “The Station has really come into its own over the past two years. The range of sessions now taking place demonstrates just how adaptable the building is and how many different interests and needs we can accommodate.”

“Whether young people want somewhere to relax with friends, explore creative activities, develop independence and social skills or simply try something new, we want The Station to be a place where they feel comfortable, supported and able to belong.”

The Town Council has also recently completed improvement works to the centre’s upper hall, creating a safer, brighter and more practical space. The works included re-plastering and redecorating, repairs to damaged walls, new fire doors, removal of the existing raised stage and the creation of additional storage, including a new mezzanine floor.

Funded through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), the improvements have opened up the upper hall’s main floor area, providing greater flexibility for activities and events while increasing storage capacity.

Cllr Anne Marie Ricketts, Chair of Hailsham Town Council’s Communities Committee, added: “The Station Youth Centre is an important investment in Hailsham’s young people and an excellent example of what can be achieved when we provide the right facilities and support within our community.”

“Two years on, it is wonderful to see how the centre has developed and how young people are making use of the space. I would like to thank Andy, Joel and the whole Youth Service team for their continued dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to providing opportunities for young people in Hailsham.”