YOUTH worker Andrew Cronin, 33, found his early professional challenges in far flung places, climbing mountains like Kilimanjaro and Mont Blanc.
He was working for an adventure holiday company, teaching outdoor pursuits such as canoeing and climbing.
Today his challenges are still mainly outdoors – but on street corners, parks and in shop doorways in Culcheth, near 
Warrington..
Andrew is working with the young people so often blamed for anti-social behaviour, underage drinking and other problems on the streets of Culcheth.
He meets them, befriends them, advises them and earns their trust. He can relate to them because, as he says: “I used to be one of them. I used to think Friday night was a night for going out and having too much to drink.”
Now he is doing his best to make sure they don’t cause trouble.
“The vast majority of them are great kids,” he says. “I am getting to know them and, more importantly, they are getting to know me. They know I am there to help – and that I won’t snitch on them.”
Andrew works 20 hours a week in Culcheth, Glazebury and Rixton as part of an initiative of Culcheth Methodist Church, funded jointly by the church, the borough council and the parish council.
He only started work locally in September and is already in regular contact with nearly 200 youngsters and has met many more.
Although many are from Culcheth, significant numbers are attracted to the village from places such as Rixton, Cadishead and Winwick, he says. But few come from larger towns such as Leigh.
Andrew’s mother was a youth worker and his wife, Lynn, is training to be a teacher so, although he has no children himself, he has a background of working with young people.
Pictured…Andrew, outside Culcheth Methodist Church.
