A VITAL village youth club has secured funding to keep it running for the next two years.

Silver End Youth Club has received two grants totalling more than £10,000 to help it continue to provide support for young people.

The youth club began just last June and has gone from strength to strength.

It is run by directors Nichola Benjamin, Cara Cobb and Leila Hobart.

Leila said: “We applied for a couple of grants.

“One was from the Essex Community Foundations given by the East of England Co-op, which was for £3,000.

“The National Lottery grant was for £10,000 and will keep us running for the next two years.

“It was a 12-week wait for the lottery grant and in that time, we had run out of funding, so we were doing fundraising events.

“So to receive this is a huge boost and helps keep the club running.”

The youth club runs various events for young people in Silver End, with the hope of helping get some off the streets.

Leila said: “It is important for the community to give young people a chance and a space to be themselves.

“They can come and hang out with their friends, not on the street but inside in a safe environment, learning and building on skills through education workshops.

“On a weekly basis we do various activities, so this week we did Mother’s Day gifts.

"We also have physical activities like indoor football.

“We are really keen on expanding those too so we are looking at taking them away in summer.

"We have looked at partnering with PE teachers for football lessons and Witham Rugby Club has offered a tag rugby taster.

“It is so important to get the community involved.”