EACH member of Newton Abbot Youth Council (NAYC) have their own ideas, aspirations and feelings about what they want from the town, but it is a young persons café with games and affordable food that the group have set their sights on.

The Mid-Devon Advertiser recently spent a Thursday with the group at their meeting place in the Courtenay Centre to hear all about what they get up to.

A weekly drop-in session for young people aged between 11 and 16-years-old, the council gives young people the opportunity to create change in the community, gain valuable leadership and social skills and meet friends.

NAYC are taking part in Newton Abbot Rotary Club’s ‘Youth Apprentice Challenge’, profit-making challenge that tasks teams with turning £50 into as much profit as possible.

But that's not all, they are also hard at work in preparation for their first art and craft event in February of next year.

The group have also completed an audit of the town, as well as having been consulted on the new ‘Community Tree’ mural planned for Golden Lion Square.

In open discussion, the group identify problems they have with Newton Abbot - one of which was dog mess.

And so the group, with help from Newton Abbot Rotary Club, who recently presented NAYC with a cheque for £1,000, and Newton Abbot Community Shed, are working to create to dog poo bag holders for the community to make use of.

But the ultimate aim, aside from a waterpark in place of the multi-storey car park, which was suggested by Nyla, is a new, young person-focused, café with games and affordable food.

‘They have had quite an influence already’ Youth Council manager, Alex Guripar, said.

‘The new mural that’s being painted, they had input on that, the community garden and Life Chance, a young persons charity’ Alex added.