A YOUTH drop-in facility has thanked the community after it rallied together following a devastating funding cut from Hampshire County Council.

As previously reported, the Junction faced closure following a £56,000 funding cut from Hampshire County Council.

The charity-run centre, on Junction Road, has helped thousands of vulnerable young people since it opened in 2004.

Service users, residents and councillors joined in the fight to keep it open with protests, a petition with 1,172 signatures and a direct appeal to Hampshire County Council.

Now the charity behind the youth drop-in facility, Alabaré, has announced it no longer faces complete closure thanks to local fundraising efforts.

And the Little Junction is set to open on Tuesday, March 28 at River House on Junction Road.

Paula Philp, service manager at the Andover Foyer, which the Junction is part of, said: “We were devastated after we found out that we had lost our funding, and the future looked bleak.

“Since then the amount of people and organisations who have come forward to show their support has been amazing and it has been heart-warming for staff and our young people to see that so many people care.

“Although the Junction Drop In as we know it will still close, we are hugely relieved to be able to open the Little Junction at the end of the month.

“All this has been made possible because of all the campaigning and kind donations from people in our community.

“Thanks to them, we can still be here to protect and support vulnerable young people in Andover who urgently need our help.

“We are so grateful to everyone – thank you so so much.”

Andover-based health and dental insurer, Simplyhealth, helped to prepare the new premises.

A spokesperson for Simplyhealth said: “As a team we all wanted the opportunity to give something back to the community and when we heard that the Junction had been offered new premises but needed help to decorate, we thought this was a brilliant local charity in need of help quickly.”

A team of nine, led by Lisa Littlefair, team leader in consumer claims, painted three of the five rooms on Wednesday, March 1.

Another group of staff members returned to complete the task two days later.

One of the staff members who helped out added: “This was a great opportunity to give something back to the community, I felt rewarded by the end of the day.

“The Junction is a local charity for youngsters to be able to drop-in when they have any issues but to also know there is someone there for them when they may not have anyone else.”

Staff from the Junction said they will be delivering exactly the same service but on a smaller scale consisting of an internet cafe with six computers, a music room/ recording studio, a training kitchen, counselling rooms and an outside area.

The new service will run weekdays between 10am and 5pm. For more information about services available at the centre, visit alabare. co.uk

The Junction faces closure after £56,000 funding cut

Protesters demonstrate outside The Junction over Hampshire County Council's incoming cuts to the service

Petition to save The Junction has more than 500 signatures in five days

Fate of The Junction discussed at Hampshire County Council meeting

Service users passionately defend youth drop-in facility, The Junction