News

More Hawkinge half-term activities for young people in the town have been announced.

 A teenage party in Shepway advertised on the social networking website, Facebook saw four teenage girls escorted home by Police and about £160 of alcohol  confiscated.

By Colin Simpson

The Hawkinge Youth and Community Sports Council's (HYCSC) Transport Aid  is available to local clubs, and youth and community groups.

The HYCSC can offer grants to help with costs of transport for your outings and special events.

Contact The Hawkinge Youth and Community Sports Council (Charity Commission No 1100929) for more information.

Email treasurer patgeoff@live.com

 

Dear Editor,

I attended the Shepway Youth Forum AGM in the Council Chamber last night and was really impressed with the evening .

Representatives from youth groups across Shepway reported on their past years activities, elected new officers and put forward their ambitious plans for next year.

We have some very bright and creative young people in Shepway and should be proud of them.

If any young people between the ages of 11 and 18 are interested in kicking around their ideas they should go to www.Shepwayyouthforum.com and sign on to the discussion forum.

You won't find me there as I'm far to old.

Cllr David Godfrey

District, town and parish councillors have been invited to the fourth annual meeting of the Shepway Youth Forum on Thursday (13 November) where young people will host an evening of debate and presentations.

The Forum, which aims to give young people in Shepway a voice and a role in decision making, was officially launched in July 2005.

The meeting, which starts at 5.00pm at the Civic Centre in Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone, includes the appointment of a chairman, secretary, treasurer and committee, a look back at the work of the last year and what is planned for 2008/09.

There will be a short presentation by members about the work they are doing and the positive news it has created about young people. There will be a question and answer session and the meeting ends with a talk by Darren Matthews from the British Youth Council.

Anyone who would like more information about the forum and its work should contact Tamasin Jarrett, youth and play development officer, on 01303 853277 or 07990 543397.

A new state-of-the-art skate park which features concrete bowls and a ‘street plaza’ will be opening this week.

The launch in Victoria Park, Deal on Thursday (30 October) will feature competitions and demonstrations, and the chance to try out the major new facilities designed for skateboarding, BMX and in-line skating.

The official opening is at 1.45pm, followed by events from 2pm to 6pm.

This major new facility in Deal which has been developed with help from local skaters also features a jump wall and curved rails.

Cllr Nigel Collor, DDC Cabinet Member for Access and Property Management, said: “This excellent new facility is a superb example of how we are working with our partners in the community for the future of the area. We thank the local skaters who have worked with us developing this project, and look forward to further partnership working in our community as we develop and improve facilities for all.�

Big Lottery Fund Head of South East region, Alison Rowe, said: “I am delighted that the Deal Skate Park project is now up and ready to go. This project is an excellent example of how BIG’s Children’s Play programme is providing free and inclusive play opportunities for youngsters across Kent.�

For more information, or for an entry form to participate on the day, please contact DDC on (01304) 872448 or log onto www.dover.gov.uk

A free programme of activities for young people runs throughout the half-term holiday (27 - 31 October)

Aimed at young people up to 18 years old, the Shepway Mobile Activity Programme (MAP) is one of three projects that secured £236,000 from the Big Lottery Fund.

Led by a giant pirate, a team of youth workers is unpacking a treasure chest of toys, games and activities at five venues across the district. All children and young people are free to come and go as they wish throughout the sessions and parents are also welcomed

The play sessions, which run from 11am until 3pm are at the following venues: Monday 27 October, Dymchurch Village Hall; Tuesday 28 October, Salvation Army Hall, Canterbury Road, Folkestone; Wednesday 29 October, Hythe Children's Centre, Hythe Bay Primary School, Cinque Ports Avenue, Hythe; Friday 31 October, Lympne Village Hall.


 

It's been reported that there have been a number of attempts to steal the goal posts at the The Churchill School.

The goal posts were recently grant funded by Kent County Councillor Susan Carey for Hawkinge Football Club who use the school grounds.

Cllr Carey said; "My message to the people doing this is that if they are so desperate for goal posts would they please contact me and I will see if we can get them a set as well."

A new £10,000 teen shelter for young people in Folkestone has been installed in the Brabner Park play area.

The shelter, which arrived on Thursday (10 July), has a built-in solar powered radio and light. It cost just over £10,000 and was paid for by the De Haan Charitable Trust.

The Trust was approached by Jon Clarke from the Hill Road Baptist Church and Kent County Council Community Warden, Nick Adams who have been working with the Folkestone East Youth Council to look at ways the play area can be improved.

"Young people from the council said they would like a new shelter to replace one that is in a very exposed location and not very comfortable," said Nick. "Nadine Gallagher from the youth council wrote to the De Haan Trust and the young people in the area were delighted with the positive response. Shepway Council, which owns the land, gave permission for the teen shelter to be installed and it is already proving a hit."

Trevor Minter from the De Haan Charitable Trust said: "The Roger De Haan Charitable Trust is pleased to help local projects which support young people particularly with sports and active pursuits. At Brabner Park we look forward to a package of improvements to be provided in partnership between the Trust and Shepway District Council."

Future plans for the park include a new level football pitch and a new adventure play area that will be funded by The Big Lottery Fund, Folkestone Town Council, Kent County Council and the De Haan Charitable Trust.

Film-makers busy in Hawkinge and Folkestone this week adding more footage to their cross-channel video.

A Tale of Two Cities is being produced by a group of 14 young film makers aged between 11 and 18 from Shepway and Boulogne. The group spent four days filming in Shepway including the coastal park, Club Indigo, the Hawkinge Community Centre and Serendipity, a florists in Canterbury Road, Hawkinge.

The Youth on Board video project aims to help young people on both sides of the channel – particularly those who have been excluded from school – gain new language skills and benefit from team building as well as giving them a chance to pick up film making, editing and story board writing skills.

The group has already filmed cross-channel sports events and Folkestone’s lantern procession and will be travelling to Boulogne on Thursday (10 April) for some more filming there.

The project supported by European funding and organised by BOSCO+, the Boulogne, Shepway and Canterbury Co-operation Association.