WILSDEN Parish Council is paying for a youth worker to run activities for local youngsters.

The council is also covering half the cost of renting Wilsden Village Hall for regular youth sessions.

The funding has come through a partnership with Bradford Council’s cash-strapped Youth Service, which is increasingly teaming up with voluntary groups to keep youth clubs open.

In a recent report to councillors, the Youth Service said that despite considerable budget reductions it continued to deliver five open-access sessions for young people across villages in the Bingley Rural ward.

It added: “We appreciate the financial support offered by Wilsden Parish Council which has enabled us to maintain the levels of provision in Wilsden.”

The report revealed that young people in the village regularly attended meetings with Wilsden Parish Council and the Wilsden Village Hall management committee.

They also supported a fundraising event in aid of the Village Hall.

The report added: “The young people were influential in developing the outdoor play area a couple of years ago.

“They are now exploring the possibility of putting a community shelter in the park, and are also trying to make sure the play area is lit later to improve the safety of young people.”

According to the report, Wilsden Youth Club meets in the Village Hall at Townfield on Mondays and Thursdays from 6.15pm to 8.45pm. It caters for girls and boys aged 11 to 19, or up to 25 years old with a disability.

E-mail manzar.iqbal@bradford or call Manzar Iqbal on 07582 108010 for further information.