A new project to get young people in Helston off the streets and learning new skills to help them in life is being developed.

The plan is to use a building in Meneage Street to take in small groups of youngsters of an evening.

Here they will be taught life skills such as cooking and budgeting, working alongside chefs in the local area.

The building, above Warrens Bakery, has most recently been used as the Furry Youth Cafe - but thanks to coronavirus it has been empty for many months.

It was able to reopen for one week at the start of September, before the Rule of Six was brought in and it promptly had to shut again three days later.

Now, however, the cafe's directors - founder Charlotte Caldwell, vicar in Breage Rev Penny Prince, Helston town and Cornwall councillor Mike Thomas and Helston businessman Chris Ring - now have a new idea to make use of the facility whilst help give teenagers in the town a new sense of direction.

Mrs Caldwell said: "This year we had no option but to close because of Covid-19 and more recently Rule of Six.

"What we're looking to do is something for if the Rule of Six stays. We're trying to be realistic."

Falmouth Packet:

A blast from the past, with a photo of the Furry Youth Café when it first opened in 2011

This has brought them to the idea of the Pop Up Supper Club.

It would see groups of four young people take part in each session - two of them cooking for the other two, with support from a youth leader and a local chef or keen amateur cook.

Each week they will swap around, the process learning about cooking skills, budgeting for menus and nutritional food.

The directors are currently in the process of talking with different organisations and people that might be able to provide this.

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"To get that right it will take a few months. We hope to be able to start as early as possible next year," she added.

Anyone interested in getting involved with the project can email Mike Thomas via mike.thomas@cornwallcouncillors.org.uk

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the youth cafe winning Lottery funding to open, thanks to the Big Lottery People's Millions.

Open to young people aged 11 to 18 years, regardless of whether they lived in Helston, Porthleven, the Lizard area or the wider villages, it was particularly targeted at students attending Helston Community College or Mullion School.

"We're delighted we have managed to keep it going so far as volunteers," said Mrs Caldwell.