STAFF at Craven's YMCA in Skipton are celebrating a £63,000 windfall which will help them reach and work with more youngsters throughout district.

The core funding, which has been difficult to attract previously, will pay for two youth workers for three years.

They will help the YMCA to extend the opening hours at the youth drop-in centre at Pinder House, Skipton, and on the mobile unit which travels into the Dales.

General manager Julia Cutriss-Steels said she was over the moon to receive a third of the money up front from The Smith Foundation.

"They have seen the work we are doing and thought we were doing a pretty good job," she said.

She said the drop-in centre in the alcohol free cellar bar had attracted many youngsters since its launch in November. "Come this winter a new worker will mean the bar can be opened every night," she added.

The aim of the cellar bar is not only to offer teenagers somewhere safe to hang out with music and pop and crisps on an evening but a youth worker is also on hand to answer any questions should they be needed.

Youth worker Julie Botham said she was amazed with the number of young people which had already approached her informally with questions on benefits, drugs and relationships.

The part time mobile outreach worker's role will be to build on invaluable work to try to find out the needs of young people who live in remote villages.

Miss Cutriss-Steels said previous youth work in North Craven had had some positive results none more notable than a trip to the Houses of Parliament last week.

Two Settle High School pupils living in two of Craven's isolated villages had joined her and other representatives from agencies across the country in putting questions to Environment Minister Michael Meacher.

Claire Askew and Katie Hird, both 17, questioned Mr Meacher at a cross party coalition committee meeting on rural poverty. They discussed issues pertinent to their own lives including transport, lack of choices and poor resources in isolated areas.

The issues raised in the meeting, including how to solve the lack of rural transport, were expected to be followed up by the minister after the meeting.

"The girls were a credit to themselves and their school. They spoke articulately and were well informed about rural issues," said Miss Cutriss-Steels.

She hoped the new youth worker would be able to create a large presence in the Dales and meet other young people who had strong views like the High School pupils.

She wanted the new worker to find out what youngsters' needs were so that something could be done to help.