A pioneering Ivybridge youth project has been given an early Christmas present.

The town council has thrown the group a £400 lifeline to keep serving free hot drinks to local young people.

The Bridge Project is run by Youth for Christ, which drives a bus around Ivybridge to engage with young people and provide them with a safe space outside of school and home.

It also runs weekly youth clubs, lunchtime and after-school clubs, and school assemblies.

The Bridge Project asked Ivybridge Town Council for funds from their young people projects budget, which was set aside at the start of this financial year. The money would allow them to continue providing free hot drinks to young people in Ivybridge up to Christmas.

The town council had set aside £4000 at the start of the year, which local youth projects could claim funding from if needed.

After a short discussion between councillors, they agreed to grant the funds to The Bridge Project.

On Thursday (September 21) there will be a meeting between The Bridge Project and the Town Council to plan for the longer term future of the project.

Director of YFC, Mr Elis Norton said: “I am delighted to hear the news that the Town Council are, once again, so supportive of our work.  Hundreds of local young people benefit from meeting at The Bridge Project youth cafe on Friday nights.  From humble beginnings from a car boot at the local skatepark in 2015, we now meet at The Bridge Youth Venue, a warm, dry, place for young people to relax, chat, make friends and play games.

"As you can imagine, we serve a lot of hot chocolates every year so this latest gesture of support from the Council sends a very positive message about their concern for the wellbeing of local young people. We are very grateful.”

The Bridge project youth café is open at The Bridge from 6:30-8pm for school years 6-8, and 8:30-10pm for years 9 and above.

For more information about the project visit https://ivybridge.yfc.co.uk/