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The cast of Cinderella, the youth club’s first pantomime production

Wullie Toryusen (left) and his brother, John, dress down for the tramps’ supper – the youth club’s opening event

Father Beel, who was instrumental in the setting up of the youth club, and Jackie Weston, who served on the committee for many years, providing useful help and advice to Wullie and John

As St Joseph’s Youth Club, in Derby, prepares to celebrate its 40th anniversary later this year, Lynne Sterling talks to volunteer youth helper Wullie Toryusen, who has been involved from the beginning, and Regina Repton, one of its original members. They recall the youth club’s early days and reveal why it has remained so popular with the young people of Derby.

One Wednesday evening in March 1967, a large group of teenagers turned up at St Joseph’s Institute, on Mill Hill Lane, brimming with excitement and anticipation.

No-one knew exactly what the launch of this new venture – an inner city youth club for 14-20 year-olds – would offer them but they were certainly interested.

Forty years later, it is now the children and even grandchildren of those teenagers who turn up at St Joseph’s Youth Club every week to enjoy the various activities on offer.

The club may have shifted venue two or three times over the years but it still remains a permanent fixture, providing creative entertainment for local youngsters and doing its bit to help bind the community together.

The activities provided by the club, which range from discos and pantomime productions to camping and seaside trips, have always proved a popular draw, according to volunteer helper, Wullie Toryusen, from Littleover.

“Today’s teenagers may be more sophisticated in many ways than those of the 1960s but they still enjoy all the traditional activities and we find that taking part in sport and drama helps to build their confidence generally.”

Now aged 64 and semi-retired from Bemrose printing works, Wullie has been involved with the youth club from the start and was barely out of teenage years himself when he was invited to help launch it.

“I had been a member of a local boys’ club which had recently closed down and knew a few people in the area,” he said. “The time was ripe for providing a new place for youngsters to gather.”

It was the parish priest at the time, Father Beel, who was responsible for setting up the youth club. Wullie was only 24 when he was invited to become youth leader with John McCready – also in his early 20s – as his assistant.

“I was delighted to take up the opportunity,” said Wullie. “Father Beel did an excellent job of setting up a management committee which provided us with on-going support and advice.

“For our part, we did our best to create a club which would really appeal to young people and catch their interest. “After much preparation, we eventually launched it with a tramp’s supper. The event was a big success and before long word spread and more youngsters joined.

“In fact, by the end of the first year, we found ourselves regularly attracting around 100 teenagers every week.” Wullie recalls that the music slot at the end of each evening was hugely popular and, despite the large numbers who attended, there was never any trouble.

“We only charged one shilling for the evening and the numbers used to really swell as the evening progressed,” he said. “The music around at the time was fantastic and we had a number of regular DJs, including my younger brother, John.” Former youth club member Regina Repton (nee Manders) echoed Wullie’s sentiments.

“St Joseph’s Youth Club wasn’t just popular with teenagers in the late 1960s; it was the place to be!” she said. Regina was only 14 when the youth club started up and was lucky enough to live close. But other youngsters, including her husband, Aidan, who lived in Alvaston, would travel from across Derby to go there.

“The music played was fantastic and the club owned an ultra-violet light which was state-of-the-art in lighting at the time,” recalled Regina, who is currently secretary at the youth club.

“We all looked forward to Wednesday nights. It was a big thing every week, deciding what to wear and who we would go to St Joseph’s with.

“It was a place to socialise, and also meet boys in a safe environment. I wasn’t the only one to meet my future husband there; many of us did.”

Regina said St Joseph’s used to open up around 7.30pm, giving members chance to play pool and table tennis until the music started around 8.30-9pm.

“It wasn’t just the Wednesday evenings which were popular. The leaders and committee members also organised various trips and social events. We went hiking and camping and took day trips to the coast, which were great fun.”

Regina believes that one of the reasons for the ongoing success of St Joseph’s is the dedication and enthusiasm of Wullie, who filled the role of youth leader for 37 years before finally stepping down from the post in 2004 to become a helper.

“Wullie’s contribution has been fantastic,” she said. “It’s his commitment which carries us all along.

“He seems to have a talent for nurturing the youngsters, helping to build their confidence and just generally keeping everything going.”

Looking back on her time as a youth club member, Regina is also full of praise for Father Dooling, a curate who arrived in St Joseph’s parish in 1967 and came up with the idea of organising a pantomime.

There was a lot of interest, and in the February of 1968 youth club members performed their version of Cinderella, kicking off a tradition which was to become a well-supported annual event and continues to this day.

“The older youth club members usually take the main parts while their younger brothers and sisters make up the chorus,” explained Regina.

“But everyone else helps out behind the scenes. It’s a real team effort and there is a role for anyone who wants to be involved.”

In fact, the pantomime days at St Joseph’s sparked a lifelong passion for drama among many youth club members, including Regina and her friend Angela Baird-Swift, who are now both award-winning members of the Watson Players. “Many of our lives were hugely influenced through the positive experiences we had at St Joseph’s youth club,” said Regina. “That is why many of us still give up our time to keep the club going.

“Our own children have long since passed through the club and become parents themselves but we still find it satisfying to be involved in providing a place for new generations of youngsters to blossom.

“We find that the age group of our members has changed over the years though. It is now mainly the younger ones, 11 to 16 year-olds who come along. There is so much for older teenagers to do these days but we still attracting 20-30 members every week.”

Although the club helps teenagers to develop their skills and talents, it has never been about competitive achievement. St Joseph’s provides a place for teenagers to socialise and relax with the opportunity to take part in team-building activities if desired. Fund-raising for various charities and to support trips to Lourdes is also carried out by members.

Father Dooling, now a Monsignor, who spent eight years working in the parish of St Joseph’s, plans to return to Derby on November 16 to take part in the celebrations planned to mark the club’s anniversary.

He also paid tribute to the work of Wullie Toryusen in making the club such a great success and the contribution of Father Beel, who established strong foundations for the club through its excellent management committee.

“Wullie has been so constant and enthusiastic about giving up his time to keep the club a vibrant place for youngsters to meet,” he said.

“It is so important to foster these links between generations and allow youngsters to feel valued by offering them the chance to contribute positively to their community.”

Wullie agrees that often a little bit of time, attention and encouragement can go a very long way with teenagers. “I am constantly surprised and delighted at the level of energy and enthusiasm that youngsters bring to whatever they do,” he said. “It is one of the reasons why I have enjoyed being involved with St Joseph’s so much over the years."

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