RESIDENTS and potential users of a proposed new YMCA centre have been given a chance to look round the buildings that will house it.

The plan is to convert the former Farmway in Newgate, Barnard Castle, to create a healthy living and fitness centre, a crche and after-school childcare, information technology training centre and a diner aimed at offering a meeting place for young people.

The chairman, Bill Bartle, said he was a newcomer to the YMCA and to Barnard Castle, but at one time the movement was a force to be reckoned with in the town, having started in a wooden hut on the Scar Top during the Second World War.

However, in 1986 things started to drop off, staying like that for a number of years until, in 1998, a group in Barnard Castle interested in doing something for the youngsters, and using money invested after the earlier Birch Road closure, looked round to form another YMCA.

"That is where I came in," said Mr Bartle. "I remember listening to a wonderful speech as to why I should become chairman from someone who had only met me twice!" he joked.

He introduced Ken Montgomery, the organisation's regional director, who described the various facilities they were trying to provide, asking people to wear their imaginative hats to visualise the finished centre. The diner, provisionally called Me2, had been designed by those responsible for similar fast food outlets such as MacDonalds that appealed to the young.

"We are not trying to buttonhole or convert people, but we do want them to explore the body, mind and spirit," said Mr Montgomery. "We believe young people are valuable and we need to be offering them the best we can achieve."

Secretary, Leah Burrage, agreed, saying, "I would like to get across the tremendous opportunities in the YMCA. Since I joined I have travelled to Bombay on a youth exchange programme. I have visited Latvia and am due to go to the Czech republic. I am also the global representative for the North-East YMCA."

The YMCA is looking to have the centre up and running within the next 12 months once funding is in place for the conversions.