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Leatherhead Youth Project is committed to seeing change in our local community by providing a high level of youth work. This is achieved through our excellent facilities, strong relationships between young people, staff and volunteers, and ongoing relationships with other local agencies. LYP also aims to form new partnerships to change our local community for the better.

Our story so far

In 2003, LYP was founded by a local Churches Together youth worker, Claire Gannon, who wanted to introduce a safe venue for local disadvantaged young people to respect and own. Three local churches (United Reformed, Methodist and Anglican) employed Claire, and together they worked with Mole Valley District Council to manage the project. A board of directors was formed, comprising a representative from each agency.

After a complete overhaul of the All Saints church hall, BFree Youth Cafe opened for the first time in April 2005, for just two days a week. Together with a team of local volunteers and youth workers, manager Andy Gill saw an instant impact on the local community as the cafe began attracting large numbers of young people from nearby secondary schools.

In January 2006 BFree Youth Cafe declared itself open five days a week and went from strength to strength. Jay Bristow, the new Churches Together youth worker, joined the team in August 2007 to integrate community and church youth work. He started Courage and Victory, for young people within the three Leatherhead Churches, and this developed into Triumph AM and PM, and most recently, a Triumph cell group.

As LYP rapidly grew, Carol Bristow joined the team to cover administration and fundraising on a part time basis. LYP flourished and Joe Crome was employed, taking over from Carol and developing boys group BLAZE for the next couple of years. In May 2009 Megan Titley and Dani Taylor joined LYP part-time, to bring girls work to the forefront and develop projects for those attending BFree. Megan started LHD Youth Dance Co and has turned it into a successful weekly class. Dani followed the creative arts line and started a project to get girls expressing themselves, before moving on to help Megan as the dance project grew.

In January 2010 it was time to employ another full-time youth worker, and Lucie Greenland began at LYP. She started girls group Miss Bliss with Liquid Connection youth worker Jude Crome, and forms the fifth youth worker on the LYP team, working on projects and fundraising.