Love Melksham Column

More than a 100 years ago, the kind people of Melksham took care of wounded Australian and New Zealander soldiers during World War I.

In gratitude, the people of Canberra in Australia raised funds to build a community centre on Spa Road in Melksham, a transnational recognition of Melksham’s kindness, named the Canberra Centre.

This hub of the community was redeveloped in the 60s for young people and now Canberra Youth Centre is the home of 4Youth South West, a local charity dedicated to nurturing, supporting and serving young people in Melksham, continuing the legacy of kindness and care that the building represents.

I was lucky enough to be immersed in the full Tuesday night experience recently, where I was so impressed with the sheer amount of activity and energy in one space. The building was alive with young people who had distributed themselves around their chosen activities.

A group of boys focused intently on their game of ping-pong, a table full of girls were enjoying the art materials nearby, clusters of young people were running outside to the basketball court while others chatted quietly in the computer corner. A very bouncy group danced around the sofa area to a playlist of music managed into 15 minutes sets by a neat rota of names stuck on the door of the DJ booth above. It was an entire world of intense and joyful youth activity, in a safe place, surrounded by the support and care of the dedicated staff.   

The cheerful youth workers manage the equipment, join in the games and have a laugh with the kids while administering the odd plaster and keeping track of the allergies and issues of each child. There are also Peer Leaders, older teens who help out, keeping an eye on things and providing the much-appreciated sweets and drinks at the busy tuck shop.

On Monday evenings, the centre hosts the ‘No Limits’ night, welcoming young people with special educational needs and disabilities, Tuesdays are for the energetic crowd of Juniors aged 11 to 13 years old and Wednesdays welcome the slightly older group.

Canberra is also where counselling sessions for young people take place through the Teen Talk service, which is available to any young person in Melksham. The Centre is also available to hire and is a great space with loads of parking just out of the town centre.

The wider community have shown how important the Centre is, by providing their own support. Recent redecorating of the counselling rooms has been thanks to a generous donation from a family in memory of a loved one, volunteers from Knorr-Bremse’s redecorated the Main Hall and kitchen area and young people and parents helped with a recent tidy day to sort out equipment and staff areas.

The centre is always grateful for help. You can bring your ideas, your donations of goods – like paint and equipment – or your very valuable time which all helps to keep the Canberra Centre welcoming and safe for young people and their families.

Get in touch at hello@4youth.org.uk and be a part of another brilliant reason to Love Melksham!

Miriam Zaccarelli