In 1974 a group of Lewisham residents were frustrated by the fact that a few of the young people in their neighbourhood were becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and getting into trouble with the police; stealing motorbikes was a big problem. 

The residents knew that this behaviour was largely due to local young people having nothing constructive to do in their spare time.

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One of the local residents came across a project in Birmingham that had set up a workshop for young people so that, instead of stealing motorbikes, they would learn to maintain, service and rebuild them. Inspired by this, they turned an old confectionary factory into a small workshop and encouraged local young people to come along and learn the basics of mechanics and  Young Lewisham Project was born.