The Hub at Henley gets its skates on
Four years of raising money, planning and designing reaches its climax for the young people of Henley SK8 CRU whose skate park will be formally launched on Saturday 8 July.
The park is currently in use most nights each week and at weekends alongside the youth club run by Warwickshire County Council. The county’s youth and community service has worked with the young people, advising on raising the money and liaising with designers on the young people’s behalf.
Around 30 people each night are now using The Hub and the range of activities has expanded; a pre-learner driving project engages 12 young people, a group has joined forces with other young people from Studley to participate in a rock climbing course whilst a further dozen have worked with a professional artist from Hybrid Arts to create impressions of life in Henley.
The activities have achieved very positive results for Henley. Anti-social behaviour and criminal damage involving young people are both down.
The Hub is looking at ways of building on this project and has plans to build a shelter, engage young people in a graffiti arts project to produce boards to surround the skate park. There are also plans to increase twofold the size of the tarmac area and put in more ramps and jumps.
Peter Crathorne, chairman of Henley Youth and Community Centre, said: “As a village, Henley has tried to find ways of looking after its young people. We have all worked hard to get this skate park for them, nobody more so than the young people themselves. We hope people will come along on Saturday and see them receive their awards.”
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, portfolio holder for children’s services with Warwickshire County Council, said: “This is precisely the sort of scheme that we are looking to see more of in our neighbourhoods; young people telling us what they want and us helping them to achieve that and realise projects. The benefit for entire communities, not just the young people, is immense.”
Members of the public who would like to see what has been happening at The Hub are welcome to attend Saturday’s launch which runs from 11am – 3pm on the grounds of the High School. The chairman of Stratford District Council, who gave the project £10,000, and Cllr Stephen Thirwell chair of Beaudesert and Henley Joint Parish Council, who gave £5,000 and have managed the project in conjunction with the county youth service, will both be present at the launch.
Anybody unable to attend the event but would like to find out more about Henley Youth & Community Centre, please call 01564 794042.