A VITAL community youth group needs 1,000 people in Petersfield to put their hands in their pockets to ensure it does not become the victim of its own success. The King's Arms, based in the Festival Hall car park on Heath Road, has had more than 100,000 visits since it was set up six years ago. But funding is becoming increasingly tight as the number of youngsters using the facility continues to grow. Now, organisers are staging a public meeting with the message that "the answer lies with the people of Petersfield". Chairman of directors at the youth club John Callaghan is looking for 1,000 supporters to donate £1 a week towards running costs. He told The Herald this week that the club needed £85,000 per year to pay for one part-time and one full-time employee. "We really need the community behind us," said Mr Callaghan. "One pound per week from 1,000 people would secure our long-term funding – it is that simple. "We have had six fantastic years and the funding has been great, but all of a sudden the emphasis has gone on maintaining what we already have. "It is a bit of a crisis, but the meeting is an opportunity for the people of Petersfield to come out and support us." The King's Arms plays a key role in providing children and teenagers with a safe environment in which to congregate after school. It has been a runaway success since it was founded in 2001, with more than 22,000 visits last year alone. In 2006, it was named as Hampshire's youth club of the year. And organisers at the Crossover youth centre in Liss have used it as a blueprint for their own success. But now Mr Callaghan is desperate to increase funds to consolidate the group's position and build for the future. He added: "What we are looking to do is to recruit about 1,000 people to become our supporters in the town. "In return, we would give them a newsletter and they would have a say in how the organisation goes forward. They would also get to be part of our success. "We need the money to keep the after-school classes going and to help children keep out of trouble. "So far, our funding has been hand to mouth in the form of grants. But we do not have the resources we had last year. "The answer lies with the people of Petersfield. For six years, we have not asked for anything. "We play a major part in the community, and if we were not here people in the town would be screaming out for another version of the same thing." Last month, club leaders began the first funding drive of the new year when they started a "wall of support". Businesses were encouraged to buy A4 paper bricks which could be displayed like an advert on wall space inside the Courtyard Buildings. The King's Arms manager, Bill Pearce, hoped the initiative would be beneficial to both the youth group and town traders. He said: "Any donation will be a blessing. We have never approached people in the past, but we are expanding quickly and we need money to do the things we have planned for the future. "The sum of £100 will enable us to run a youth evening, £500 will fund an anger-management course for six teenagers, and £1,000 will keep our after-school clubs running for a whole week." l Any businesses interested in making a donation should call Bill Pearce on 01730 233965, or write to him at The King's Arms, The Courtyard Buildings, Heath Road, Petersfield GU31 4DX. A meeting to discuss the future of the organisation takes place on Saturday, March 3, at 10 am in the Methodist Church on Station Road.
