A YOUTH group is to be launched aiming to give youngsters in Shildon a voice.

Shildon Ignite is a group for youngsters aged 11-years-old and above who want to secure funding to help them to carry out projects.

Naomi Tomlinson, the youth and community development worker for St John's Church and Shildon Children and Young People's Action Network (SCYPAN), is organising the group.

It is expected to hold regular meetings for members to discuss issues but the dates and locations of these sessions have still to be decided.

Miss Tomlinson said: “There seems to be a lot of interest in the Shildon Ignite idea.

“The young people in Shildon are phenomenal and they’re really bright and this group will give them a place where they have a voice on the changes that they want to see in the town.”

It is planned to merge Shildon Ignite with the current Shildon Youth Council to provide a bigger and stronger group.

The first project is give youngsters cameras so that they can take pictures which show Shildon through the eyes of the group.

The images will then be used to work out what Shildon Ignite would like to do to improve the town.

Shildon Ignite will hold a launch event on Tuesday, February 11, between 7pm and 8.30pm in Shildon Civic Hall when the dates of future meetings will be set.

Details on the Shildon Ignite group can be obtained via shildonyouth@gmail.com