SANDYGATE Youth Club in Burnley, came of age in 1962.

Members took part in a series of events to mark its 21st anniversary.

The club, which served the Trafalgar Street area and drew most of its members from the surrounding streets.

In its 21 years, there had only been three leaders — Mr C Wall was the first after the club was launched in the early forties and after many years he was succeeded by Mr H Bannister.

The leader in 1962 was Alan Billington, who had taken over the job nine years previously and was helped by assistant leader E Starkie as well as many volunteers — such as members Norman Birkett and Brian Harris who acted as stewards each evening.

Most of the town’s youth sporting trophies had graced Sandygate’s trophy cabinet at some time and the club held several sporting records.

Perhaps the best one was the defeat of the 1st Burnley Boys brigade in the youth football league by 53 - 0!

One member Roy Swift scored 14 of them himself.

1962 was one of the best years for the club, winning several trophies and thus gain the Rotary Cup, which was presented by the Youth Organization’s Committee to the club earning most marks in all youth competitions.

The annual contest had begun in October 1961 and by July the following year Sandygate had won the senior boys and girls championships for swimming, as well as the individual youth championship; the senior boys and girls cross country runs, both the girls and boys marathon runs and the senior and junior boys and girls road relay races, this for the second year in succession.

Youngsters had also been runners up in the junior boys cross country and the girls marathon hike, while the girls netball team reached the semi finals of the cup competition.

Sandygate was open six nights a week and was busy every one of them.

This photograph of those who helped run it in the summer of 1962 shows on the back row, left to right: Brian Gildert, Alan Billington and Jack Dean, while on the front are Brian Harris, Irene Gildert and Norman Birkett.

l At one time, there were scores of youth clubs all over Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale, organising a host of events and trips for young people and there were hundreds of teams in every sport imaginable, indoor and outdoor.

Our second youth club photograph shows eight young men from Albion YC, Burnley, leaving town for a canoe holiday in the Severn Valley in the summer of 1969.

Left to right on the back row are Michael Kenny, Melvin Penny, Barry Fothergill and Dave Rudd.

On the front row are Harry Conroy, Brian Halstead, Derek Pickard and Tony Scott.

Have you any memories or stories of your days as a member of your local youth club?

Contact Gill Johnson on 01254 298223 or gjohnson@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk