We visited a new youth centre in 'Britain's roughest estate' – and what we saw amazed us
A new free-to-access youth centre in the middle of one of "Britain's roughest estates" has been hailed a gleaming success by residents.
The POP Youth Club, which launched in The Electric Palace building on Blakenall Row on February 16, has been called a "home away from home" by residents and parents of the Blakenall area.
The club was launched to help battle a rise in youth-related crime in the area and to offer young people more services to help develop positive skills and provide role models for the troubled community.
Now, on the day police in Walsall introduced the latest Section 60 order granting enhanced stop and search powers, we received an exclusive 'walk and talk' at the "home away from home" for young people in the middle of one of "Britain's roughest estates".
"We have to scan the kids [with metal detectors]. We don't think anyone this age will be carrying anything. But you never know." Those were the words of centre manager Sue Phillips, showing just what the team there are struggling against outside of their doors.
As the doors opened, dozens of youths, who were all lining up nicely, flooded inside, taking their turn to be scanned by staff members who were equipped with metal detecting wands.
The POP Youth Club building sits in the centre of Blakenall, which last year was deemed one of Britain's roughest estates in a YouTube video that looked at impoverished and neglected areas around the UK.
However, what I experienced was a far cry from that grim image.
