The Youth Club in its new Annexe room

How to begin to describe what it felt like on Wednesday to open the doors to the brand new room for Youth Club's first session in there?

At 6.50pm there was a cluster of boys draped around the new handrail. A handy place to drape oneself now the builders have removed the barriers. Positioned somewhere between the old doors and the new, they were poised to lope, as habit dictates, into the big hall. Instead, on my signal, there were cries of "yesss", and a hair trigger surge towards the annexe, where they tumbled through the doors of the new Youth Room ahead of me. If there can be such ill- judged uncoolness as gasps of delight from gruff teenage boys -- then that was what I heard.

As the night wore on the same reaction could be heard each time an eager face peered through from the darkness of the field terrace (poetic licence, it's actually floodlit but why spoil a moment) to the sparkly new loveliness within.

We've got a 58" telly playing chart videos for goodness sake! What's not to like? We've got enormous orange beanbags that eat you alive, are already muddy, and make me ratty when people take a running leap at them but I'm sure I'll get over it and they are washable after all.

Wednesday seemed to segue into Saturday and we were back again for the official opening. Pip, Harry and Elliot made us all whoop with pride when they represented Youth Club and handed the bouquet to the Sheriff of Sherry, as she will forever now be known, after Roland fluffed it three times (a highlight for me).

Youth Club was heaving with folks having a wander around, so we did our best to rustle up fresh smoothies and homemade popcorn. I am cursed when it comes to food activities. Despite having prepped to the max and road tested a cracking recipe for butter popcorn with Maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger and a hint of nutmeg (very important); Reader, there was no popping in the annexe kitchen on Saturday. Yep, the popcorn let me down. There was much sizzling and then it just started to burn. It was slightly academic that my other half came to the rescue 20 minutes later with new and working popcorn. The moment, as they say, had passed. I still made a batch or two though, more to recover my dignity than anything else.

The smoothies, on the other hand, were sensational and went down well. We had lots of stuff left so there will be more smoothies available at Youth Club this Wednesday.

One final thing, it's looking more likely than ever that we will be able to trial a second Youth Club night after Christmas. This one is going to be a drop in Cafe session for anyone in Year 10 upwards. It will probably be on a Tuesday night but more news on that will follow. Do spread the word if you know of anyone who might be interested in coming down. The greatest sceptic I know on the subject, and also the prime target market for a Tuesday session (my own daughter, a prophet is without honour and all that...), was very pleasantly surprised by what she saw on Saturday. Let's hope it's contagious.

So, to sum up chaps. A movie and a smoothie, er, it's very groovy? Don't be choosy? It won't be boozy? Melted cheese is oozy? I don't know anyone called Suzy?

Audlem Youth Club, Wednesday nights in the room with no name...yet. 7-9pm. £1 to all-comers in Y7 and above. Call Kate on 07789 915940 with any questions (about Youth Club obviously, don't be asking for a peace solution for the Middle East, that's my other number).

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.