Crowthorne and Sandhurst

For the summer holidays I am planning a multi-agency youth activity programme involving Hope 08, (local Crowthorne churches), the Oakwood Centre, Wellington College, Bracknell Youth Services, Wokingham Youth Services, Edgbarrow School, Crowthorne Parish, the Fire Service and the Rotary Club.

Bracknell Extended Services (Bracknell Forest Borough Council) is donating £2,000 towards funding the programme. This series of events will be targeting pupils at Edgbarrow School and other teenagers in the Crowthorne area. The aim is to get as many young people as possible to do a range of different activities during the main five weeks of the summer holidays (from Monday 28 July to Friday 29 August). This should help to prevent anti-social behaviour over the long summer break and give young people something constructive to spend their time and energy on.

Some of the events which will be taking place are mountain bike riding, swimming, mountain boarding, camping, orienteering, bowling, raft building at Horseshoe Lakes, film nights and many more.

This is very much a community-spirited event where many different people from all types of organisations in Crowthorne are helping to put the programme together. This project supports the work being done by the Crowthorne Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG), which consists of local people tackling quality of life issues in the community.

Students at Edgbarrow School have yet to give the project a name but are in the process of doing so. It is hoped that this youth activity programme will become a regular event in years to come. Details will be publicised in the early part of the summer as to how to take part.

Although it may seem a long time ahead, I have already started organising the events. I’m keen to hear from anyone who would like to contribute, for example by offering a suitable activity as part of the programme, ideally at reduced rates so that as many youngsters as possible can afford to join in.

If you would like to help, I can be contacted on 0845 8 505 505.

Thames Valley Police ~ Crowthorne