A town centre shop is being transformed with a little help from the British Army.

The old Santander unit on Ramsden Street will become the Wicked Coffee Shop and Microsoft Imagine Training Academy.

Run by the Global Diversity Positive Action (GDPA) organisation, it will help young people find their way in life.

Plans have been created and there’s a team of army officers on standby to build it – but they need donations of wood, tiles and furniture so the army can get cracking.

Sharon Jandu, of GDPA, said: “We want the business community and people to support the children in our community and to donate any materials to help us create the coffee shop.

“We need tiles, wood, cushions, signs and furniture to create the Wicked Coffee Shop and the training academy which will be a revenue stream for our work.

Wicked Coffee shop to open on Ramsden Street, Huddersfiel
Wicked Coffee shop to open on Ramsden Street, Huddersfiel

“Jeremy Child, of Acumen Architects, has designed this great place and the army are ready to build it once we get donations of materials.

“The basement of the shop will have a creative music studio, there will be workshops, motivational classes, people can learn job skills, learn how to become baristas or do Microsoft courses to get them ready for the workplace.

“Dominic Mills is our outreach officers and we’ve hundreds of kids wanting support from the centre. We need help to create it now.”

The centre will work with young people not in employment, education or training (NEETS) as well as young offenders.

The charity hopes to steer them away from a path of re-offending and turn them into positive contributors to the community.

Architect Jeremy Child shows his plans to S/Sgt Steve Illsley, S/Sgt Shane Lewis and Lt. Tom Whitehead of the Royal Engineers, Lt. Col Mark Hunter of 4th Infantry Brigade and Project Worker Dominic Mills at Global Diversity new premises, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield.
Architect Jeremy Child shows his plans to S/Sgt Steve Illsley, S/Sgt Shane Lewis and Lt. Tom Whitehead of the Royal Engineers, Lt. Col Mark Hunter of 4th Infantry Brigade and Project Worker Dominic Mills at Global Diversity new premises, Ramsden Street, Huddersfield.

Sharon added: “Our main mission is to empower people to break the cycle of re-offending.

“We have an outreach team managed by Satvir Meen and led by Dominic Mills where they engage with the youths.

“They organise a range of workshops including music production, photography, graffiti, literacy/numeracy and positive thinking. This takes place at the GDPA Creative Hub.”

The centre has teamed up with Microsoft to launch the Microsoft Imagine Academy offering professional Microsoft Office and Adobe qualifications to improve digital skills.

Anyone can do the qualifications via GDPA with revenue put towards outreach work.

GDPA is working with magistrates, Kirklees Council and local businesses including WGN Chartered Accountants and Business Advisors, Switalskis Solicitors, Ia3, Yorkshire Bank, Powerdirect and The Yorkshire Asian Business Association.

Donations can be made to Sharon Jandu on 07807 474885, email mail@sharonjandu.com or visit www.globaldiversitypa.com .