History of the Project

The Project is a bus that travels to different areas of Totton and the New Forest on different nights of the week, depending on where young people are hanging out.

The project was started in 1996, and teams of volunteers from the local churches went out in a minibus, talking to the young people and giving them cups of hot chocolate. The project has given us a unique opportunity to befriend and help young people who are often isolated and disregarded by young people at large. Our position and respect from the young people has enabled us to help with some of the social problems associated with large groups of young people, such as anti-social behaviour, vandalism and under age drinking.

Since 2001 the project has been under the supervision of ‘Youth and Families Matter’, a community project in Totton. This has included the appointment of a Youth Worker who is involved with , and has the specific responsibility of helping the volunteers already working on the project. The Youth Worker, Tom Millington, has also been able to develop closer links with local schools, and other organisations working with young people.

In May 2004, the minibus was replaced with a fully customised double decker bus, fitted with computers, video and DVD equipment, and a coffee shop style tuck counter. The larger bus has been able to reach and support more young people.

Due to the age of the vehicle it became difficult to maintain and in June 2010 was replaced by a newer vehicle following renovated took over the duties of the previous bus.