History

The club was established in 1929 with considerable financial assistant from the Rotary Club of Lancaster. It was established as Lads Club of Lancaster then the name later changed to the Boys Club of Lancaster.

The aim of the club was to encourage boys from the age of 8 to 18 to make constructive use of their leisure time by engaging in recreational activities.

From the outset the club concentrated its efforts in offering assistance to the more disadvantaged sections of Lancaster and Morecambe society. The 20s and 30s were times of profound poverty and the club assumed great local importance as a place where young boys could escape the difficult and stressful environments of home life, and engage in constructive activities with their peers.

The club has benefited numerous local people during its existence, and counts amongst its old members prominent and well-respected members of the Lancaster community.

Perhaps its best known past member is a certain Frank Ableson, who was best remembered for his promising boxing skills, but later gained fame under his stage name Frankie Vaughan.

Present

The club changed its trading name to Lancaster Boys’ and Girls’ Club in 2009 and now offers a wide range of activities that includes music, computers and sports like basketball, as well as the traditional football, boxing, snooker and pool.

The club now operates out of purpose-built premises on Dallas Road, Lancaster. It is a registered charity run on an entirely voluntary basis, governed by the Board of Trustees and a Management Committee.

Its premises comprise of a community hall, games hall, a small conference/group meeting room, a craft room and a number of small offices housing special youth providers.

In addition, there is a coffee bar and kitchen area.

In addition to the on-site facilities, the club also organises by itself or in conjunction with other local youth providers, activity weekends and trips to places of general interest.

The club is located close to the centre of Lancaster, and is approximately half a mile away from one of the largest council estates in the area. This is an area with few leisure facilities, with a worrying increasing crime rate.

The club is presently affiliated to both the National and Lancashire Association of Clubs for Boys’ and Girls’ and the Lancaster Council for Voluntary Service. .