Youngsters in Chippenham will be kept warm and off the streets when a new youth café opens on Saturday.

Held in St Catherine’s Room, next to St Andrew’s Church in the Market Place, the café aims to provide a relaxed atmosphere for young people to hang out with their friends on a Saturday afternoon.

Organiser Leon Bolton said: “This started last summer, and at the time we did not know what sort of youth project to take forward.

“There are quite a few youth projects in Chippenham, so we did not want to clash with any of them. That was why we decided that whatever project we took on would be in the day rather than the evening.”

Open every second Saturday of the month from 10am to 3pm the café will provide activities including table tennis, snooker, quizzes and talks on issues affecting young people.

Mr Bolton said: “We have been quite fortunate because there are a couple of youngsters in church who we could talk to.

“They have had a lot of involvement in the project, right down to choosing the furniture.

“We do not want to assume that we know what the youngsters want, so one of the things we will do is ask what type of activities they want.

“Activities for the future will be decided by the youngsters themselves.”

The project has been made possible as a result of a successful bid to the Youth Evangelism Fund by members of St Andrew’s Church.

Mr Bolton said: “Like any new project we hope for the best, but we have a core group of youngsters who are coming, and have invited friends. We are trying to look at the needs of teenagers in Chippenham.”