Project that helped teens transform their lives axed

A police-run youth project that helped struggling teenagers turn their lives around is being axed due to budget cuts.

The Aston Project was set up in 2011 to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour in Cheltenham by rewarding young people, who volunteered or joined clubs, with activities such as pony trekking or canoeing.

But in bid to plug a £12.3m funding gap, Gloucestershire Police is scrapping the scheme.

Young people who benefited from the project are now appealing to the force not to destroy a "beautiful project" that has "filled their lives with happiness" during their tough times.

The Aston Project was set up in memory of PC Lynn Aston who died at the age of 48. She dedicated large parts of her career to helping young people.

One young person, who was referred to the scheme by their school after "falling out with people" and missing lessons, said it had helped them to "finally" make friends, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

In a letter to Gloucestershire Police, seen by the LDRS, they appealed to the force to "rethink" its decision and to not "take Gloucestershire's best family away".

"Life was a struggle and they helped me through," they said.

"We're a family. A family that has each other's back because we've all been through the same things one way or another and we know how to comfort each other."

Another young teenager, who was referred to the scheme after being picked up in Cheltenham "under the influence of alcohol", said it had given them "opportunities of life" they would "never have thought of having".

"I have changed and grown into the young person I am today, all because of Aston," they said.

"The Aston Project - gets teens out and helps us make the right decisions. That is what we need."

But a spokesperson for Gloucestershire Police, said the force needs to make £12.3m of savings by the end of the financial year and it can no longer fund activities such as the Aston Project.

"Senior officers have met with Eamon Aston to explain the situation - and to put on record our thanks for his and his late wife Lynn's dedication to working with young people over the years," they said.

"While decisions such as these are extremely difficult to make, they are absolutely necessary if we're to deliver the improvements to our services we know we need to make."

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