Monthly workshops for youngsters at Bromley Farm Community Centre in Congleton have been given financial support by Congleton Town Council, but councillors are keen for the project to expand across the town.

Inner Trust is a non-profit 'community interest' company, which helps children, young people and adults with mental health issues using counselling, music, arts, virtual reality and DJing.

Applicant Spencer Hickson, of Crewe based Inner Trust, attended a recent Congleton Town Council meeting of Finance and Policy Committee to answer any questions councillors had regarding Inner Trust's grant application for £1,000.

The grant application was for a Musical Minds project, which aims to engage with hard to reach young people and provide them with new skills, increasing confidence, building self-belief and showing them what they can achieve by expressing themselves through music and art.

Inner Trust plan to hold 12 monthly Musical Minds workshops at Bromley Farm and provide participants with an opportunity to showcase their work at community events in Congleton in the summer (Play Day and Olympics in the Park).

Mr Hickson told the committee that Inner Trust has already seen "great results" from similar workshops and wanted to continue this in Congleton.

Inner Trust had been doing similar work at Bromley Farm Community Centre on Edinburgh Road for the last 12 months with eight to ten children mainly between 10-15 years old attending every month before their funding from C4C (Congleton 4 Congleton) depleted at the end of February.

Mr Hickson added: "We've have built quite a good relationship with the young people in that area, so hopefully we can continue that."

Mr Hickson felt that the workshops would "significantly reduce anti-social behaviour in the Bromley Farm area".

In his submitted application, Mr Hickson said: "Musical Minds workshops give the opportunity to make music with other children together in a fun music jam, which is held in a colourful, vibrant and safe environment.

"The young people can experiment with playing, making, recording music and creative drawing ideas in synergy with each other, increasing stimulation and giving a sense of belonging and connectedness. It also develops their ability to work together as a team and utilise the new skills they learn.

"We know from previous workshops and receiving feedback from over 500 children that our workshops promote creative forms of expression that can be harnessed as a means of connection and communication between all.

"The changes this will make for the young people will focus on inspiring them, growing confidence and self-belief, be positively engaged and making new friends. This leads to a sense of belonging which helps to encourage good sociable behaviour, whilst promoting empowerment that they can achieve and reach their full potential together."

The total cost of the project is £6,480, £5,480 of which was listed as match funding that includes equipment costs (£5,000) and volunteer time (£480).

But the £1,000 sought from the town council will be spent on venue costs (£180), specialist sessional workers (£600), creative materials (£120) and marketing materials (£100).

The grant application was deferred from February's meeting as councillors requested more information around the details of the match funding.

Mr Hickson stated that the £5,000 worth of equipment included eight iPads (£2,800), four DJ controllers (£1,000), a PA System (£675) and Lighting (£525).

Mr Hickson told the committee that the equipment had been purchased in the last 12 months and that Inner Trust was targeting 10-15 young people to attend the workshops each month.

The project is primarily advertised through the Bromley Farm newsletter and through Glen Williams, of the Bromley Farm Development Trust who has several contacts on the estate.

Coun Sally Ann Holland felt that the project could target a wider audience if the town council helped Inner Trust advertise the workshops through over platforms.

When asked what type of anti-social behaviour the youths were participating in prior to Inner Trust, Mr Hickson explained that it would be a mixture of bullying, exclusion from other youth clubs and vandalism.

Mr Hickson stated that the workshop was "versatile" and could be set up at any youth club, church hall or town building and it didn't have to just focus on the Bromley area; the project could expand throughout the town.

Coun Denis Murphy queried what would happen to the monthly sessions given the impact of the current coronavirus pandemic, and whether the 12 workshops would still be fulfilled even though for four or five months it might not be possible to hold sessions.

Coun Murphy added: "Would your setup be flexible enough to do more than one session a month to meet the 12-session budget?"

Mr Hickson confirmed that if the project couldn't be extended for a full 12 months depending on the Covid-19 situation, Inner Trust would look to hold the sessions over a shorter space of time.

Coun David Brown felt that it was a "very worthwhile" project and he proposed the grant request was approved.

Coun Holland seconded the proposal and the £1,000 grant application was passed.

Coun Brown concluded: "If you could look further afield then Bromley Farm, I think quite a number of people and councillors would appreciate this facility across the whole of the town and not just one part, maybe that's something you could think about."

This was the last meeting before Prime Minister Boris Johnson implemented the government lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, social distancing guidelines were applied, and all town council meetings have been cancelled for the foreseeable future.