Sarah Brown’s salute – PM’s wife hails ‘extraordinary’ £1.5m New Horizon Youth Centre

Published: 25 February 2010
by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS

THE dream of opening a new centre for homeless and vulnerable young people has come true in triumphant style.

New Horizon Youth Centre in Somers Town, founded by Lord Longford 42 years ago, unveiled a new “fit for purpose” building in Chalton Street on Tuesday.

Sarah Brown, Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s wife, was guest of honour, unveiling a plaque with the help of Fitsum Alemu, who not only uses New Horizon but helped build the centre, made possible by a £1.5million Lottery grant.

By Mrs Brown’s side was newscaster Jon Snow – a former centre manager in the 1970s when it was based in Covent Garden – comedian Rory Bremner, West Hampstead novelist Kathy Lette and schools minister Vernon Coaker.

Mrs Brown said she could remember visiting the centre in 1998 with her husband, then the new Chancellor, who was thrashed at table tennis. “Even without the building this is an extraordinary place,” she said. “All the people here will pay testament to the people who’ve helped them onto their new horizon.”

Mr Snow, who has spent Christmas Day with some of the centre’s young people, praised Shelagh O’Connor, its director, as the real reason the project got off the ground.

Seiit Tadesse, 23, who went into labour with her two-year-old daughter, Lily, at the centre, began using its service when she fell out with her family at 16 and found herself “sofa surfing”. “I went through depression while I was in hostels,” she said. “I found it really isolating. New Horizon helped me get into education and work.”

The building has consulting rooms and the Barn, where performances of music  and drama take place.