'We built a community': The man who devoted his life to north Manchester's kids

John Biggs was 10-years-old when he first walked into Whitemoss Youth Club in Charlestown, Blackley in 1958. Instantly he felt at home.

"It only opened on a Friday night," said John. "You used to pay an old penny and for that you got a biscuit and a cup of coffee.

"It was homely, welcoming. I loved it. It was a place you could go make friends and enjoy yourself."

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He didn't know then, but it would be the start of a life-long association. John became a regular at the club, then as a teen began helping out.

Aged 21 he was appointed manager and before he retired late last year John, now 75, was one of, if not the, longest serving youth workers in the country. Along the way he helped a generation of kids from Blackley and north Manchester.

"Thousands of young people have been to the club," said John. "A lot of them would have gone astray if not for the volunteers and the way they worked to give them opportunities.

"It was a place where , if they'd not been before, people would come in and say 'We need somewhere like this in our area'."

Whitemoss was founded by local couple Jim and Ethel Elliott. They'd lost a son to leukaemia and channelled their grief into providing somewhere for the youngsters of the then new housing estate to go in their spare time.

With the fledgling youth club movement beginning to emerge across the UK, the Elliotts set up the club in a green tin hut at St Mark's Church.

"Mr and Mrs Elliott put their heart and soul into Whitemoss," said John. "On my 21st birthday they gave me a gold-plated key to the office and a briefcase because they wanted to encourage me.

"And that's all youngsters need - a bit of encouragement and