Riverside Youth Club transformation reaches halfway point

Since construction started in January 2024, contractors have made significant progress:

• creating a large new extension with changing facilities, showers and roof terrace overlooking the pitch areas

• completing a new main entrance and front extension 

• completing significant internal remodelling, with walls knocked through to create much larger and flexible activity and engagement spaces for young people and the community, including a new kitchen and welcoming entrance 

The focus in the coming months will shift to completing the refurbishments and a complete overhaul of electrical and heating systems. Contractors will also install new pitch fencing, and floodlighting, and the new high quality 3G astroturf pitch designed to play like natural grass. 

The £1.2M project is being delivered by Lewisham Council in partnership with Youth First and Millwall Community Trust. This has been made possible by a generous £745,000 grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation. This was supported by a further public campaign led by Youth First resulting in substantial donations from private donors and local trusts and foundations to secure the award. 

The revitalised Riverside Youth Club is set to open its doors to young people in Deptford and beyond in spring 2025. 

Chris Barnham, Lewisham Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

“This is a hugely ambitious and complex project and I’m very pleased for the local community that the end is finally in sight! Thanks to the hard work of our partners and contractors, I am sure that it will be worth the wait, with so many fantastic features to look forward to - from football pitches to games areas and much more besides. We’re looking forward to young people and the rest of the community seeing more about what we’ve got in store as we make further progress.”

Chris Price, CEO at Youth First Charity who will run youth services at Riverside, said: 

"We are so thrilled about the exciting progress on Riverside's redevelopment. We are ramping up fundraising to kit out its facilities with high quality equipment, and connecting with people who are keen to put to good use the brilliant new spaces. We encourage everyone across the community to get in touch to be a part of Riverside's reopening and bringing its vibrant vision to life with and for young people!"

Joubin Sarrami, Community Manager at Millwall Community Trust, said:

"This is an extremely exciting project that will benefit so many young people and residents that come to use the riverside facility. We are looking forward to its doors opening in spring 2025 and there being a wide range of youth activities on offer for the local community. A big thank you to all those involved over the past few years that have allowed the project to become a reality that is now only a few months away from completion"

Pictured: Artist's impression of the revitalised Riverside Youth Club