John Clark welcomes us to the Devas Club

John Clarke, Chairman of the Trustees of the Devas Club officially welcomed the Future Group to The Devas Club.

On Saturday 2nd December, at our official launch, John shared how excited he is about the potential for collaboration with us to do projects that will help young people to reach their full potential. The Devas Club youth dancers performed and their team cooked a feast for everyone to enjoy!

The Devas club provides a youth centre for the purpose of engaging and educating young people up to the age of 25. Devas is committed to making a positive impact on young people’s lives and produces a wide variety of activities to support physical, mental and spiritual growth in its members.

History of Devas Club:

In 1884, Jocelyn Devas, a graduate of University College Oxford started a ‘Club for working lads’ in a room over a coffee tavern in Stewarts Road, Battersea. Two years later in 1886 Jocelyn was tragically killed in a climbing accident in Zermatt. Jocelyn’s Father enlisted the help of his Son’s friends, and funded an initiative to carry on the work that Jocelyn had started in Battersea.

Arthur L Harding was one of these friends, and was the guiding influence in successfully renovating and then moving to a larger premises in Thessaly Road in 1907.

The main purpose of the Club’s work was initially educational. As this function began to be fulfilled by the London County Council’s evening classes, sporting activities began to take precedence in the Devas Club activity programme. A club for girls, sharing the same building was started in 1960.

The move of the Covent Garden market to Nine Elms entailed the compulsory purchase of the Thessaly Road property. The City Parochial Foundation acquired an alternative site for Devas in Stormont Road and commissioned the building of the present accommodation. The building was officially opened in 1970.

We would like to say a BIG thank you to The Devas Club for welcoming us into your very special community. Click here to find out more about the Devas Club.