Although the coronavirus lockdown has meant the temporary closure of The Kings Arms Youth Centre, its team has continued its work supporting young people.

The centre in the Festival Hall car park in Petersfield provides after-school care, helps young carers across East Hampshire and special-needs groups, and works with schools and young people struggling with stress, anxiety, anger and making positive choices.

After lockdown was imposed on Monday, March 23, Kings Arms youth workers creatively reorganised services to support young people in Petersfield and Alton with new online services including a daily chat room, Instagram posts and 14 video groups a week.

Centre spokesman Mandy May said: “There have been many challenges with technology, but there have also been many successes, including helping young carers get back into school, supporting young people and their families with food deliveries and the sharing our resources such as games and activities to combat isolation at home.

“Socially-distanced face-to-face work has restarted, so we can continue to support more than 250 young people from the area.”

One success story has been the purchase of two new laptops.

Mandy added: “We were delighted when Jo Huxley from Petersfield Lions pushed through a donation of £500 to help us buy a laptop for a young person.

“And then Alton Lions donated £250 and with the help and guidance of Christian Clarke, a member of Alton Repair Café, we were able to buy two, not just one!

“One of these laptops has gone to a young person from Petersfield to enable them to engage with all their school work as well as our programmes.

“The other has gone to a staff member so they can remotely support a large number of young people in need of our services.

“We are so grateful to the Lions for their continued support.”

The Kings Arms has been supporting young people for 20 years from its leased centre in the car park.

This year, after a long search, a new home was finally found, the former JSWs restaurant in Dragon Street.

They are currently fundraising to complete the renovations needed, to allow them to open their doors as soon as possible.

To find out more email Mandy at [email protected] or contact her on 07769 991552. To find out more about The Kings Arms, visit the website at www.

thekingsarms.org.uk