A TEN-year dream to create a multi-million pound youth and community centre in West Somerset will come to fruition next month with the official opening of Minehead EYE.

Project director Naomi Griffith said the years of hard work had all been worth it and appealed for young people to take a hands-on approach.

"We are so proud of the building and all the facilities and activities that we will be able to offer to the young people and community of West Somerset and beyond.

"We will be having a wonderful opening weekend of activities on the first weekend of the school summer holidays on July 24 and 25 - it promises to be a momentous occasion for West Somerset," she said.

As well as extreme sports facilities, the centre also has a café, computer area, DJ booth and space for young people to meet, relax and get involved in a range of creative projects.

There will also be an opportunity for people aged between 15 and 21 to become paid young advisors for the whole of West Somerset.

Eight people will be paid £8 an hour for a few hours' work a week as members of the Young Advisors West Somerset group.

The group is part of a national scheme - funded locally by West Somerset Council's Working Neighbourhood's Fund Government grant - which helps community leaders and decision makers engage with young people in community life and regeneration projects.

Scheme administrator Molly Studley of Minehead EYE said: "This is a really exciting programme and we are currently looking for eight young people to join our Young Advisors West Somerset group.

"The scheme provides great, 'real' work experience, a good wage of £8 per hour for a few hours a week and young advisors will get to go on an amazing week-long training programme in August.

"We would like to encourage any young people who are interested to come along to our recruitment event to find out more and hopefully put themselves forward for the scheme - help us to make a real difference to the way young people are involved in West Somerset."

The young advisors recruitment event takes place on Saturday, July 10, at 1pm at Minehead Methodist Church in The Avenue, Minehead.

Participants will be asked to take part in a couple of activities and have an informal interview, while the training week is scheduled for August 15-21.

Minehead EYE itself will be run by a mix of paid staff and volunteers who will be in charge of state-of-the-art facilities including music rooms and a recording studio.

The main attraction for many will be the indoor multi-purpose hall and skate park, although some of the skate ramps are moveable to enable the hall to be used for other activities such as aerobics, basketball, dance and marshall arts.

It will also double-up as a music and entertainment venue, while courses, projects and activities will all be run from the centre.

Minehead EYE was awarded £3.2 million of funding through the Government-funded myplace programme and West Somerset Council committed £250,000 towards the project. The land has been leased at a peppercorn rent by Somerset County Council.

More information about the young advisors scheme is available from Molly on 07875 199239, by emailing [email protected]">[email protected] or by logging-on to the website http://www.youngadvisors.org.uk">www.youngadvisors.org.uk.