Woodloes Youth group takes off
The young people of Woodloes are benefitting from a youth club every week following concerns that there was not enough activity in the area for them.
Warwick Extended Services Cluster held consultations with parents of children attending Woodloes School and various agencies operating in the area. The meetings highlighted concerns that there was a lack of provision for young people in the area, and by providing activities for young people to do together to promote community cohesion.
The cluster co-ordinator worked with councillors and officers from the county council, the district council and other agencies and commissioned The Gap Community Centre at Oakwood Grove to run an all year round weekly youth club for children in years five and six of primary school.
The club has a programme of free activities designed by the children including sports, music, IT, drama, performing arts and crafts and takes place every Friday evening from 6-7.30pm. Equipment is also available for sound mixing and a volunteer instructs young people on producing their own music.
Cllr Martyn Ashford Warwickshire County Councillor and Chairman of the Trustees of Woodloes Primary School said: “We listened to the concerns of local residents and, together with our partners at the district council, sought to tackle the problem of lack of activities in the Woodloes area.”
“Through the work of the county’s extended services provision, a lot of communities like Woodloes are benefitting from young people having positive activities. As Chairman of Trustees and after a lot of hard work to get the legalities of the transfer from old to new by everyone involved with the transfer I am now delighted that we have a facility that youngsters will be able to go to get involved in the range of activities that will be on offer Can I thank the Trustee’s for all the effort put in to establish a much needed facility for the Woodloes.”
Cllr Moira-Ann Grainger of Warwick District Council, said: ““The opening of the Youth Club is the result of all partners working together and listening to both our residents and young people aspirations. The Youth Club and the new play equipment are the result of brilliant collaborative working by everyone involved”
Joseph, a year 6 pupil at Woodloes Primary School, said: “Today we’re doing drama but next week it’s streetdance. Last week was movie night – we made it like a cinema and we all saw ‘Bolt’. I look forward to it all week.”
A second member of year 6, who asked to remain anonymous, agreed saying: “It’s saved my Friday else I would be at home with nothing to do. Now, we can say what we want to do, like go on the i-mac. It’s a great place to try different things.”
Marcos Campos of The Gap said: “We work as a team and have helped the young people draw up a varied plan to give them new experiences. Many will take these up in their own time. We try to instigate positive activities as well as provide them
If your child is in year 5 or year 6 of Woodloes Primary School or if you would be interested in volunteering, please contact Marcos Campos at the community centre on 01926 494200.