A YOUTH organisation in Newport is set to move to a new home in Newport City Centre.

Urban Circle is due to sign a lease with Newport council on an empty shop on Upper Dock Street where it hopes to restart its youth music workshops, according to the charity’s Dennis Mackenzie.

The charity’s volunteers are now appealing for help to raise the cash they need to get them through the first few months of operation.

The Argus reported in Feburary that Urban Circle had to leave its centre on Skinner Street after its £225,000 grant from Big Lottery, which funded its operations for three years, ran out. But Newport council has stepped in, Mr Mackenzie said, with the offer of an empty shop for a token rent.

Urban Circle, which is entirely staffed by volunteers, hopes to offer an internet cafe and a workshop space where the charity can offer the DJ, MCing and broadcasting workshops it provided before.

Internet broadcaster Newport City Radio will remain in its current home on Commercial Street.

The charity plans to sign the lease with the council in two weeks.

Mr Mackenzie said it would take a further few weeks to get going, with parents offering to help paint the new HQ.

He said that volunteers would also use the new empty shop as a base to make grant applications. Since it had to leave its old base the charity has raised £2,000, which has been spent on risk assessments and insurance, and Mr Mackenzie said they will need £5,000 for their first three months of operation.

He appealed for help to raise the cash and said youngsters have also been coming up with their own ideas to bring the cash in.

He said: “Young people have been very enthusiastic about making sure that Urban Circle never goes away agan.”

If you can help Urban, call on 01633 265300 or email info@urbancircle.co.uk.