@tavistockyouthcafe
Autumn News
The past six months have been one of the busiest and most dynamic times for TYC. From new trips and fitness programs to creative projects and outdoor adventures, we’ve seen young people come together, connect, and push their boundaries.
Summer at TYC
Over the summer we participated in many local events such as the Tavistock Fringe Festival, Tavi Pride, and the Carnival. This meant lots of vibrant creative projects, with the creation of decor, costumes and new musical materials all happening in preparation. Being part of these events are crucial for connecting with new young people and their families, helping them discover everything TYC has to offer.
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This summer TYC also hosted its first Summer Football Club, providing non-competitive kickabouts focused on fun and fitness.
Our subsidised summer trips program was based on ideas from the young people themselves. It included action-packed days at skateparks and waterparks, challenges in escape rooms, and our first visit to We The Curious, a fantastic interactive science centre in Bristol. TYC has been awarded a free year-long pass to the centre, so we’ll be heading back soon. A big thank you to Country Bus, who played a crucial role in making TYC trips affordable by donating the use of their bus and volunteer drivers.
​Trails Jam
In June, TYC ran the Trails Jam, which was a huge success, with over 30 riders taking part and showcasing new young talent. They were a brave bunch, and it was great fun for the audience to watch the day’s competitions. Thanks to everyone who made it happen—the hardworking team who prepared the jumps, the DJs, our compère Andy, stands like Cosmic Skate and TaviSkate, and all the young volunteers who supported TYC. We raised essential funds to help cover insurance costs, which keeps the Trails open for everyone to enjoy.
​Residentials
Charlies Voyage
This year’s we set sail from Mount Batten aboard the Island Trusts’ Johanna Lucretia, a large boat that welcomed 10 young sailors. To prepare the crew, we organised our first team-building day high in the canopy tree surfing. Once on board, they faced some of the most challenging weather conditions we’ve encountered over the years. None the less the trip was incredibly rewarding, encouraging everyone to push their boundaries and work as a strong team.
“It was the best week of my life.”(Young person)
Caradon Woods
To celebrate the end of the academic year, members of our targeted Momentum and Wellbeing programs were invited on a residential camping trip. Hosted by Greenwood Music CIC, we spent two days enjoying survival skill challenges, river dips, a night walk, and campfire cooking. It was a fantastic way for everyone to embrace time in nature and kick off the summer holiday with a spirit of adventure.
​AFC Football Mural
TYC teamed up with Tavistock AFC to transform some unused boards at the club grounds into a canvas for artistic expression. Our new Mural Club offered weekly creative sessions, leading to the creation of a stunning 15-metre mural that showcases the incredible talent of our young artists!
Materials for the project were generously donated by a member of Tavistock AFC. To mark everyones efforts and celebrate the group will be watching at match at the grounds on 28th September.
Discover Fitness
Thanks to funding from The People's Postcode Trust, the Momentum project has provided young people with access to a wide range of fitness activities this year. These included personal trainer-led sessions at Morecore Gym, swimming lessons, guided bouldering and climbing, and now, for the autumn term, boxing at Tavistock Amateur Boxing Club.
Gaining Water Confidence
As part of our fitness initiative, Momentum also launched the Water Skills project, where 16 young people participated in weekly swimming lessons at Fusion Pool. Many were beginners, and the program helped them gain water confidence, learn essential water safety, and foster a drive to develop this crucial life skill. This was finished off with a trip to The Lido in Plymouth for an outdoor swim.These activities have been incredibly popular, giving participants both physical challenges and the opportunity to try something new.
TaviSkate
TYC has been leading the TaviSkate steering group, which aims to create a new accessible skatepark in Tavistock. Through our community engagement and surveys, we’ve gathered strong support for the project from riders and the broader community.
With Tavistock Council backing the vision and its inclusion in key policies of the Tavistock Neighbourhood Development Plan, we’ve made significant progress. A procurement document will go out for tender this autumn, and fundraising efforts will begin soon. We still have a way to go, so if you’d like to support the project, please get in touch…
​What’s Ahead…
In the coming year, one of our key goals is to help more young people engage in volunteering roles. These opportunities will provide valuable experience and personal growth. This will also involve new partnerships, which we look forward to sharing more about soon.We’re happy to announce that all our current open sessions, targeted projects, and mentoring programs will continue this year — thanks in large part to generous funding from The Law Foundation and the NHS Primary Care Network.
Finally, Tavistock Mayor Paul Ward has nominated TYC as his charity this year, this means he will help us to increase awareness of our services and raise money for our projects. The project that has been decided on is our 5 Day sailing residential Charlies Voyage. There will also be a Civic Service at St Eustachius and a Civic Ball, which will support fundraising.
We appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to what's ahead!