Hundreds of teenagers are enjoying safe nights out thanks to a project for under-18s.
The Zero project in Yeovil is proving extremely popular in the town, with more than 500 revellers turning up at each event.
The project, organised by South Somerset District Council and Avon and Somerset Police, aims to provide a night out for 14-17-year olds whilst promoting zero tolerance to alcohol and anti-social behaviour, and safe routes to and from the event. Parents and guardians are encouraged to use the safe pick up and drop off points.
A recent Zero event involved hundreds of teenagers descending on the town’s Club Neo for a Halloween party. The young clubbers used glow-in-the-dark paint to light up the evening.
Cllr Ian Martin, district council Zero leader, said: “The idea is to give teenagers the opportunity to meet their friends and have a great night in a popular nightclub, but with the supervision needed to make sure it is safe and alcohol-free. We’ve been seeing over 500 teens each time in Yeovil, which is fantastic.
“We’re really pleased to see so many teenagers coming out to enjoy these nights. It’s great that they can benefit from a real club, safely and legally, through the Zero events that we support.”
Shirley Courage, part of the Zero team said: “This is about providing a brand new regular club night for them to have fun and a dance on a Friday night. The events take time to build up but word spreads very fast and the dancefloor is full on the night.
The Zero project was initially funded by the Healthy Living Pooled Fund and is now self-sustaining.
Events in the past have included a dance contest and a Valentine’s evening.