A CALLINGTON couple have set up a free minibus service to take young people to popular youth music project, Livewire in Saltash.

It was through the couple’s daughter that they first discovered that ‘there were not enough things going on in Callington for young people.’

The couple started to take their daughter to Livewire, a youth charity situated on Saltash Waterfront that supports young people using music. This then turned into taking along the daughter’s friends too and highlighted the need for a minibus.

The couple decided to take mattters into their own hands and set up the Callington Youth Group Project to provide some provisions for youths who might otherwise roam the streets.

Running since the end of March, the LiveWireBus is a minibus that can take up to 16 young people on the journey from Callington to Livewire.

The CYGP managed to acquire the minibus by borrowing it from CIC Battling On, who have kindly let the group hire the bus at ‘mates rates’ to allow them to make the Monday night trip.

Paul Carey, Chair of Callington Youth Project Group said: ‘going to Livewire gives young people a chance to interact with other young people and also with youth workers’

‘It keeps them off the streets and guides those that need guidance.’

The space at Livewire provides a creative outlet for young people and can be a solace for those kids that shun other typical activites such as sports clubs.

Paul expressed that ‘Livewire’s recipe is very appealing’, especially to youths that are ‘musically-orientated’ and ‘off the mainstream’.

The LiveWireBus facilitates these young people to attend Livewire and participate in activities that are more matched to the interests of these individuals.

Paul said: ‘Callington Youth Group Project asked the young people what THEY want, we always ask the young people and at the minute this is what they want’.

The popularity of the bus has increased so much that sometimes the group have ‘had to turn people away’. They have now put a booking system in place that encourages the young people to take responsibility and book themselves on the bus rather than their parents doing it for them.The group have started fundraising to enable them to buy their own minibus incase there are times when they are unable to hire the bus. CYGP are releasing a promo video shortly to help with their fundraising efforts.

In addition to fundraising for the new minibus, there are also plans to create a permanent base for the group in a potentially earmarked premises in Callington. A permanent base would provide a space for these young people that would otherwise be roaming the streets. Paul hopes to recreate Livewire and ‘its’ recipe’ and give young people a place to ‘experiment and learn’. The group have already received a donated keyboard and drumset.

The group is supported by Cornwall Council, Rotary, Battling On, The National lottery and the UK Youth Movement but have hopes to become a community interest organisation to enable them to obtain charity status and provide them ‘better access to funds’.