Cheryl Cole sets up youth charity

British pop star Cheryl Cole has set up a charity to help deprived youngsters in the area where she grew up.

The former Girls Aloud singer, whose married name is Cheryl Fernandez-Versini, has set up Cheryl's Trust to "help young people realize their potential and get their lives back on track".

The organization will focus on helping young people in the north east of England, the area where Cole was born and raised, and will be run from a $3.2 million center in her hometown of Newcastle.

She says in a statement, "I'm proud of where I grew up but I'm only too aware of the challenges that young people face. Opportunities often seem pretty limited and... too many young people are wasting their lives away because they feel they have no one to turn to... I want to give back and help young people who feel like they'll never achieve anything reach their dreams and live a happy life."

Cole has pledged to raise the funds needed to build the charity's base in Newcastle.