Organisers of a popular youth club have warned they will have to fold unless more funding can be secured.
Inchgarth Community Centre’s Friday youth club is one of just four youth clubs in Aberdeen.
During term time up to 100 children take part in various activities such as judo, tennis and discos.
Organisers previously raised concerns about the club’s future after being forced to temporarily close last year, but a grant from the Big Lottery fund allowed them to continue.
The money will run out in December, with members desperately seeking a solution to their funding crisis.
They will hold a fundraising night on October 5 to boost funds, and are urging the local community to buy a ticket and support the cause. There will be a band, bar and raffle.
Overall the youth club costs around £18,000 per year to run, but organisers say it could also survive on £11,000 if treats such as free food, art classes and entertainers were all cut out.
They need to sell 200 tickets to cover youth worker costs for the foreseeable future – but so far just eight tickets have been bought.
Paul O’Connor, of Inchgarth Community Centre, said he would be “gutted” if the club was forced to close.
He said: “It is a fantastic club like no other, we have great equipment and the numbers of kids who come along prove how popular it is.
“But we need money to provide activities, pay staff, and have free food on offer.
“We want the club to survive for the kids that love and need it.
“Kids come here to enjoy themselves, and everyone has a really close bond.
“The club gives them something to do in the evenings instead of heading down the slippery slope into anti social behaviour.”
“We would never charge kids to attend and rely on donations.
“If we fail to reach a healthy numbers of ticket sales then we have no option but to take the painful and difficult decision but to notify the children that from the end of December there will be no Inchgarth Friday youth club.”
Tickets for the fundraising evening cost £10 per adult, and are free for children. Tickets must be bought by September 14, visit www.inchgarth.co.uk
