BIOS Van Hits the Roads of Swindon

A former supermarket home delivery vehicle is now a fully customised mobile youth club.

To celebrate its launch, a mix of local businesses and supporters of the BIOS project gathered at Excalibur to check out what the van has to offer first hand. 

The BIOS Van is equipped with a range of fun facilities including an Xbox One, PS4, iPad gaming, internet access, hot drinks facilities, LED lighting, music system, games and activities.

Each week the Van will work with teenagers to tackle a range of problems facing young people today. The project hopes to take on anti-social behaviour and encourage young people to make Positive Life Choices - helping them to have a better future.

"The van has everything that young people could want, there's game consoles, sports equipment and arts and crafts activities." said Lead Youth Worker, Amy Cox. 

She continued "We take the van out to different parks, communities and schools around Swindon and set the van up as a mobile youth club. It creates a hub for young people to meet around and allows them to engage with youth workers in a relaxed environment. The aim is to work with young people and build up relationships with them."

At each session youth workers use the vehicle to create an environment where young people feel safe, welcomed and able to participate. As well as Amy, the project is staffed with volunteer youth workers from local communities. 

Project founder Chris Priddy first came up with the idea when volunteering with young people back in 2009, he explains: "Five years ago we were wandering the streets on a rainy Tuesday night looking for people to give mugs of hot chocolate to when a sandwich truck drove past and we jokingly said, if we had one of those with a Play Station in the back, we wouldn't have to go out trying to find people, they'd come to us."

A number of local businesses who have supported the project have had their logos printed onto the van.

He continues: "We're really grateful for the support of local businesses, because they're the ones who have helped us along our way by donating things for the van and sponsoring the project. The main logos on the outside of the van are all of the people that we want to thank.

"We're trying to provide somewhere positive for young people to meet friends and youth workers and have a good time. We're also hoping to tackle antisocial behaviour by finding young people who are causing a problem in their community and getting them to do something positive. Lastly we're trying to build community relationships."