Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre are hosting the Youth Engagement Slough (YES) consortium in a new high street venue.

YES represents local youth organisations ‘working together for young people’ and is led by Resource Productions CIC, SWIPE and Together As One (Aik Saath) with twenty-two further organisations signed up as Associates.

The groups have been provided a space in the Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centres since 2014.

 

The various organisations involved use the space for a diverse range of activities. For example:

• Resource Productions use the space to run a weekly film club where young people learn filmmaking skills and benefit from the company’s fantastic links with luminaries in the field, including Arts Council England, the British Film Institute and Pinewood Studios.
• SWIPE use the space for their weekly steel band sessions. The band brings together young people from a diverse range of backgrounds to play together, and the band often performs at community events.
• Together As One (Aik Saath) use the space for their award-winning poetry platform, Empowered, and to train young people to be mental health advocates.
• Slough Modest Sisters use the space for ‘stay and play’ so that Slough’s youngest residents and their parents have a supportive place to visit and come together.

 

In their capacity as development manager for Slough Central, British Land have recently consolidated the shopping opportunities in the Queensmere to encourage footfall. Rather than leave YES homeless, the company has generously provided the consortium with a new space, rent-free, reflecting the value they place on the youth activities taking place there.

Dominique Unsworth, CEO of Resource Productions and Secretary for YES said:

“We are so grateful to be able to continue to provide free creative activities for local young people on a weekly basis thanks to the support of the shopping centre. YES has been supporting community groups like ours to run activities for almost a decade and it’s great that we have been given such a centrally located new space to continue to operate from.”

Jamie Green, CEO of Slough West Indian People’s Enterprise (SWIPE) and Chair of YES said:

“It’s fantastic that Queensmere Observatory are supporting YES to provide the young people of Slough with a safe space in the town centre.”

Rob Deeks, CEO of Together As One and Project Manager for YES said:

“A high street venue to provide activities and support for young people is invaluable. We would like to thank all our colleagues at the Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre for valuing our work and sharing our vision.”

The new venue is scheduled to open its doors for young people on Monday 9th January and an official launch is scheduled for later this month.

To find out more about Youth Engagement Slough (YES) or to download their latest programme of activities, please visit: yesslough.org.uk

Alex Long, Asset Manager of British Land responsible for Queensmere Observatory Shopping Centre said:

“We are delighted to further support YES in all of the support and activities that they deliver for the large young community in Slough.”

For all the latest news, ‘like’ the centre on Facebook.com/QueensmereObservatorySC or ‘follow’ on Twitter @queensmereo.