Dave McNicholl is chief executive of Warrington Youth Zone and writes a regular column for the Warrington Guardian

AS the build of Warrington Youth Zone continues on Foundry Street at the end of Dallam Lane, next to Warrington UTC, we look forward to the construction work completing in early 2022, with the official opening in May next year.

Alongside building a new state of the art facility for children and young people from across Warrington packed with the best resources and equipment to entertain, inspire and educate our members, we are also developing the organisation.

This has included reviewing the values which will underpin our work with children and young people.

In consultation with children and young people we have developed a value around ‘Social Responsibility’ this will signify our commitment to encouraging children and young people to think in a more global context, raising their aspirations to understand different cultures and religions and beliefs.

This value also acknowledges our focus on supporting children and young people from across Warrington join voices with children and young people locally, regionally, nationally, internationally and globally to raise the issue of caring for our climate.

The Youth Zone will provide a platform for children and young people to explore the impact people have on the environment through personal development programmes, arts and drama projects and science and technology activities.

On a local scale children and young people will be encouraged to consider how they can lessen their impact on the environment.

Plastic Free July has been an example of a national campaign to raise awareness of the small steps we can each take to reduce the number of plastics that are used and create a negative impact on our community.

Children and young people will be involved in every aspect of running their youth zone and the things that we can do the reduce the amount of plastic we use.

Children and young people will be supported to set up arts projects that utilise used plastics by turning them into installations which will demonstrate the creatively of our members while reducing the amount of plastics ending up in landfill sites.

If you share our passion for raising awareness of global and environmental issues and would like more information about Warrington Youth Zone or are connected to an organisation that would benefit from working with us, please visit our website warringtonyouthzone.org or call 909660.