ILKLEY Children’s and Youth Centres are thriving nine months after day-to-day responsibility for running the Little Lane site was passed from Bradford Council to Ilkley Youth and Community Association.

Ian Laven, treasurer of Ilkley Youth and Community Association said the handover on April 1 was thought by many people to be ill-advised and doomed to failure, but nine months on there have been many exciting changes.

"More groups use both facilities and the range on offer is varied and diverse," he said. "The Airedale and Wharfedale Children’s Centre Cluster, based in Keighley, have, via Strong Close, continued to offer their broad array of services to babies and toddlers.

"The Airedale and Wharfedale Children’s Centre Cluster also facilitate the Citizens Advice Bureau meeting for two hours on Tuesday mornings in the private first floor office. Project 6, who are an award winning voluntary drug and alcohol charity, hold one-on-one private counselling sessions on Tuesday afternoons.

"The Youth Club, run by Bradford Council's Youth Service, meet twice a week on Monday and Wednesday evening. In addition Ilkley Youth & Community Association are exploring, with local partners, plans to develop an additional session on either a Friday or Saturday evening. It is hoped that this group would be community-led.

"A Martial arts organisation, Kokoro Academy, use the ground floor of the Youth Centre on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning. They offer classes for ages 4+ in age specific classes in the following styles, Budo Taijutsu, Hyper, Taekwondo and Kickboxing. They are members of MAAB which is Martial Artists against Bullying.

"Laugh Learn Love Languages, a fun French and Spanish class for babies, tots and pre-schoolers, is held every Tuesday morning. These classes are full of music, laughter and engaging sensory aids."

Mr Laven said there had been challenges along the way, with a boiler needing replacing, but progress was being made, with the grounds being tidied up, new LED lighting in one of the halls, repairs to the roof and internal damage rectified and painted.

"Plans going forward are for a redesign of the heating system such that, should one of the two boilers fail, both buildings will still have heat and additional LED lighting throughout the Youth Centre is being looked at before, eventually, a coat of paint," said Mr Laven.

"Looking even further ahead, outline planning consent has been given for a large sports hall to be built in the grounds behind the Youth Centre which will considerably add to the facilities that are on offer to the community as a whole. Some heavy fundraising will be needed as well as, quite possibly, a corporate sponsor or partner.

"If you would like to get involved, hire the facilities for your own activity, or want to know more about the current activities please contact us on 07748931942 or 07801861390."