The World's Oldest Youth Club

I found this on a lunchtime walk not far from my office.

Some reasearch tells me that St. Andrew's was founded in Soho in 1866 as The St. Andrew's Home and Club for Working Boys. Originally they provided a residential home for apprentice boys who had come to London to work. The boys paid their wages into the club; in return they received a place to sleep, meals, a weekly allowance and an evening club for chess, draughts and bagatelle and other activities that still flourish in modern youth clubs.

The club moved to Westminster in 1885 but was destroyed in the 1940 blitz.

After various temporary measures, the club moved to a new permanent home in the 1980s from where it still thrives providing engaging things for young people to get involved in.