ALVESTON Youth Centre could be forced to close unless more people can be found to help run it.

Management committee chairman Tony Wilcock is to step down next year, bringing to a head a manpower crisis which has been dogging the popular facility for some time.

"This a crunch year for the centre," said Mr Wilcock who been at the helm for the past 15 years. "I am not the only one to be calling it a day and the result is that the committee is already seriously depleted.

"There is a real danger that the centre could close next year because there are just no volunteers to run it.

"For myself, I think 15 years in the chair is long enough and I also have other commitments.

"It is proving very difficult to find volunteers to give up their time and unless some new blood can be found over the next 12 months then closure is a real possibility. It would be a tragedy because after many years of hard work the facilities are of a really good standard.

The loss of the centre would be a major blow not just for the youth club itself but for numerous other organisations which are regular users, including Scouts and Cubs and dance and sports groups.

The 2nd Alveston Scout Group leader, Peter Collins, said: "Losing the youth centre would be a catastrophe. I just don't know where else we could go.

"What makes it worse is that many of their users are also having problems finding volunteers helpers of their own.

"It's been a problem for some time but it seems to be getting worse. There must be people out their with enough spare time to take on these important roles in the community but at the moment we are just not reaching them."

It is not too long ago that the centre was celebrating the completion of an 18-month programme of improvements.

Funded by grants from an environmental body the work included alterations to the kitchen and meeting room, heating system modifications and new kitchen equipment, redecoration and insulation.

Businesses were also generous, enabling the centre to purchase such items as a new cooker, microwave and refrigerator and new notice boards in the meeting room.

Anyone interested in helping in the joining the management committee should call Tony Wilcock on 01454 883763 or joint secreatry Su Steele on 01454 885750.