A CAMPAIGN to get a new Chard road named after a community stalwart who turned around the town’s youth club has finally seen success.

The bid to honour Frank Botterell has been going for nearly two years, and was led by former youth club attendee Andy Sheahan.

Frank died at the age of 87, on September 2, 2017.

His passing inspired a number of Chard residents to want to honour his contribution to the town.

Mr Botterell joined the youth club in the 1960s after it was gifted a run down building by the town council.

With a local team that including former mayor Dave Hill, Frank turned the youth club around and provided a much-loved facility for many of the town’s teenagers and young people.

Now, a new road off Jarman Way has been named Botterell Close.

After finally seeing the results, Andy said: “This is a fitting tribute to Chard’s youth club leader of many decades, who guided hundreds if not thousands of youngsters through their teenage years and into adulthood.”

The group’s teenagers, Andy included, were selected top the club’s committee and helped to organise a number of events in the town with Frank’s help.

This helped them to learn skills that would become invaluable later in life.

As well as Andy’s efforts, a number of people who used the youth club over the years wrote letters in support of honouring Frank.

One said: “I am sure that the life lessons learnt by us all during our time at the youth club have enriched our lives, relationships and careers.”

After the campaign was fist launched, Frank’s niece, Sarah Botterell, said the family were moved by Andy’s efforts.

She added: “At Frank’s funeral we were very touched to hear of the high regard and respect in which Frank was held in Chard.

“We heard many lovely stories of what a positive impact he had had on so many young people’s lives.

“He was certainly very passionate about youth services and would have been very pleased to know, and probably quite amused, that people would like to have a street named after him.

“It would certainly be great to celebrate his life in this way and to have a lasting record of him in Chard.”