A youth club set up to diffuse friction between young people and residents in Wandsworth is facing the possibility of closure because of a withdrawal of funding.

The Dempster Road Youth Association faces an uncertain future as the council will no longer pay for a youth worker.

The club was formed six months ago in response to groups of youths playing football in the streets. It now has up to 25 teenagers turning up to play sports at St Faith's School playground in Alma Road on Wednesday evenings.

Parents and residents say the youth sessions have been the key factor in reducing tensions in the area and the club had plans to enter two boys' teams and one girls' team in local football tournaments.

Stephanie Conran, chairman of the association, said: "We don't really know if we can continue to run the club without outside help from the council, but we are going to try.

"We don't want to be just a football club. We have girls turn up and boys who do not want to play football.

"Unless we can provide something they will stop coming, especially now that winter is here."

Resident Steve Brown said the project had changed the neighbourhood. He added: "Six months ago there was a lot of friction. The kids can now see we do have some concern for their problems and are prepared to do something about it."

A council spokesman said: "We gave the group as much help as we could.

"We offered a sports development officer for eight weeks to help them set up their football team. When the time was up we then tried to help them find alternative sources of funding."

December 11, 2001 16:05