A RENEWED appeal has been made for people to get behind a youth club and football club in their campaign to win a major cash investment.

Door 84 Youth Club in the Groves is in the running for the £200,000 top prize in Persimmon Homes Yorkshire’s Healthy Communities contest.

Along with Fulford Football Club, they are among 30 finalists out of 5,000 nominations, who will each receive at least £5,000. Two runners-up will get £50,000 and the group with the most public votes will take the top prize.

If successful, Door 84 said it would update their facilities, provide sporting activities and continue to give youngsters access to exciting activities.

Ashley Jones, acting centre manager, said: “The funds would also be used for trips to outdoor activity centres enabling the young people to challenge themselves with activities such as canoeing, zip wiring and abseiling creating amazing experiences and long-lasting memories for the young people.”

The club provides seven sessions a week for eight to 25-year-olds, including football, boxing, tag rugby, hula hooping and gymnastics.

“We also provide amazing trips and residentials throughout the year,” said Ashley. “We only charge £1 per session to keep costs low and accessibility high and we provide a wide range of engaging and developmental activities. Currently we have 929 registered young people.

“We are extremely proud we have made the top 30 finalists. Winning the top prize of £200,000 would mean the absolute world to the team and to the young people and community members that we support. We hope the lovely people of York will get behind us with this and give us their vote. We would like to say a huge thank you for the support that we have been shown already and we hope people will continue to vote for us. We are all really passionate about providing the people we support amazing opportunities and this money would contribute to this and create lasting memories for all involved.”

On March 18, Door 84 celebrates its seventh birthday at the centre with a family fun day, from noon to 4pm. Entry is free,and open to everyone with stalls and activities including an inflatable slide, face painting, raffle and tombola.

Fulford FC, one of the biggest clubs affiliated with the East Riding County FA, would create a new community sports facility and home for the club, with their hopes pinned on land being made available for sport and recreation as part of the Germany Beck development which is attached to the current Fulford Parish field and would almost double the size of the sports area available to the club and the community.

Vote at www.persimmonhomes.com/healthy-communities by March 16.