EACH Mahdlo member that has walked through the youth zone's doors has arrived with a 50p entrance fee in the pocket.

And for the past six years, Mahdlo's longest serving volunteer Les Barker has been collecting and counting those 50ps as the young people arrive.

The Springhead resident joined the Mahdlo volunteering team just after opening and has since counted thousands of 50ps during his Thursday and Saturday shifts with the finance department.

He said: "Since I retired I was looking for something to do to keep busy and ‘the grey matter’ thinking.

"I didn’t fancy volunteering directly with young people, but Mahdlo is such a fantastic cause I knew I wanted to help.

"I thought that my background in finance at Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale and skills that I developed over the years would come in useful.

"I enjoy being a part of team Mahdlo, the office can be a bit noisy at times, but that is all part of the enjoyment.”

Louise Edge, Head of Finance at Mahdlo, added: “Les is a valuable member of the team, he’s been here longer than anyone else and is a great help in the office.

"Being able to rely on him to come every in each week makes things so much easier, I don’t know what we would do without him.”

Les, who also helps count the cafe takings and fundraising donations, is one of 78 current active volunteers within the Egerton Street Youth Zone.

Since opening in 2012 Mahdlo has created around 650 volunteering opportunities for local residents, many of which have progressed into paid employment with the charity or other local youth organisations.

The opportunities range from finance, administration and reception to working in the café and supporting the delivery team with anything from sports and arts to cooking projects and outdoor activities.

Scarlett Ash, Volunteer Coordinator at Mahdlo added “It’s not just about youth work; volunteering gives you an insight into the work that goes into running a charity and how every helping hand is appreciated.

"It’s a great way to meet new friends, learn or try something new, all people need is a few hours each week and the passion to get involved. Anyone that is considering volunteering, whatever their age or background, should get in touch. I’d love to hear from you and discuss how you can be a part of team Mahdlo too.”

To find out more about volunteering at Mahdlo Scarlett can be contacted on 07507 038 160 or email volunteer@mahdloyz.org