A ‘SHOP WINDOW’ for Salisbury’s youth culture has been awarded £900 by phone company O2.

The band Subsociety provided the first window display as the cheque was handed over on Monday.

The Unit, opposite the bus station in Endless Street, will be a focal point where young people can get information and contacts for a wide range of activities.

Initially it will focus on music and media, but will also put people in touch with sporting, educational and volunteering opportunities.

The money, from O2’s It’s Your Community programme, will help buy materials to refurbish the empty shop.

The Unit was the brainchild of arts project manager Ruth Jones, but will be manned by young people, with adult supervision.

She said: “The Unit will be a really exciting venture for young people. It will provide them with a focal point to air their views, and will be a model for how to use empty high street premises to great social benefit at the same time. Thank you O2!”

O2’s Salisbury branch manager Kevin Donovan said: “This is a fantastic project which really expresses the spirit of It’s Your Community - cutting out the red tape people generally have to go through to get funding. The awards exist to inspire everyone to make a tangible difference, and since their launch in 2007 we’ve helped thousands of young people connect with their community.”