Wokingham

Wokingham youngsters will soon have a cool new place to hang out thanks to a new venture.

Police and The Chameleon, in Wokingham town centre are organising the area’s first under 18s night next month and if that trial goes well they are planning to make it a regular event.

The night, which will be called ‘Kaos’, is aimed at 13-17 year-olds and is being backed by local schools, Wokingham District Council and the area’s youth workers.

It will be a strictly no alcohol night aimed at giving the youngsters a great place to hang out with their friends for a few hours.

The idea was first suggested at a Winnersh Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) meeting as a way of providing the youngsters in the area with something to do and it has grown from there.

Winnersh neighbourhood officer PC Emma Johnson, who has been heavily involved in organising the night, said: “People often complain about youngsters hanging around on street corners, but don’t come up with any solutions to the situation.

“What we are trying to do is give them somewhere safe and warm to hang-out with their mates, where they can have a really good time and where their parents don’t have to worry about what they are up to.”

Gavin Vidler, general manager of the Wokingham nightclub, added: “It is going to be like a normal nightclub evening but with no alcohol on sale.

“We are providing them with a safe environment but also somewhere cool and trendy where they can have fun with their mates – that has to be more interesting than hanging around on the streets.

“We will have our normal door staff on duty and they will ensure that no alcohol is taken into the club and if anyone is suspected of drinking beforehand they will be denied entry.”

PC Johnson and Mr Vidler attended an under 18 night at nightclub in Woking, Surrey, on Friday to get some more ideas for their own event.

PC Johnson said: “It was a fantastic night. We took four 17 year-olds from Wokingham with us and they really enjoyed it. If we can create something similar in Wokingham I think it will be a great success.”

The first under 18 night will take place on September 29 between 7pm and 10.30pm. Tickets will be priced at £3 in advance and £5 on the day and are available from the club itself and schools throughout the Wokingham area.

PC Johnson said: “Ideally, we would like people to buy tickets in advance so we have an idea of how many are coming. We also want to hear from youngsters who want to have an input into the event because it is their night and we want to make it as appealing for them as possible.”

Thames Valley Police ~ Wokingham