A youth club under threat from being axed is to continue for another year.

Vibes Sheerness Youth Club has been carrying out two sessions every week for youngsters in Broadway, Sheppey, since October.

However, it had been at risk of closing down after Kent County Council (KCC) ended its subsidies programme for youth clubs and other activities. This will come in to force in April.

The move will save KCC £900,000 and they will a new 'family hubs' model and give them access to £11m in government funding.

But thanks to Swale council's funding, Vibes will keep providing services until March 2025.

The club has received money from the Safer Streets project - an initiative aiming to tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce violence against women and girls.

It means two age specific sessions will keep running for both younger children every Thursday.

One takes place between 4pm and 6pm for eight to 12-year-olds, while the second is from 6pm until 8pm for 13-16-year-olds.

Chairman of Swale council's community committee, Richard Palmer, said: "Youth provision is key to reducing levels of anti-social behaviour, so we were incredibly disappointed when KCC decided to make drastic cuts to their funding to charities like Vibes.

“That is why we set aside a sizeable portion of our Safer Streets funding, from the government, to help support this youth clubs’ important mission after their funding was pulled from underneath them.

“Not only is the club providing a fun and safe space for kids on the island, but they are also offering free meals and invaluable support and mentoring from youth workers.

“This aligns with our projects’ mission of reducing anti-social behaviour and violence in Sittingbourne and Sheerness town centre.

“Providing funding to them while our safer streets project is active will take the financial pressure off the charity, allowing them to save and budget for their future.”

The club, hosted in the Sheerness County Youth Centre, boasts a wide range of activities including darts, pool, table tennis and a DJ area.

It also provides a free meal to the 40 children on average who come to each session.

The funding will also enable Vibes to recruit an additional female youth worker to support the young girls in the club, providing a mentor they can relate to and who understands the unique challenges and experiences they face.