New ‘Community Youth Project’ from Hayling's BEST!

- Mon 5th Jan 2009

The residents and supporters of Hayling Island are warmly invited to a public meeting, to be held at St Andrews Church Hall, Southwood Road at 7.30pm on Wednesday 21st January, as Hayling’s BEST release further details of their largest and easily their most ambitious project to date.

Part of the nation-wide ‘Action for Market Towns’ group the volunteer run Hayling’s BEST Market Town Initiative, organisers of community events such as the Island’s hugely successful ‘Scarecrow Festival’, the ‘Discover Hayling’ local history project, and the ‘Playing on the Plaza’ series of seaside live music events, are about to embark on their first ever ‘bricks and mortar’ project.

Aimed squarely at the ‘Social’ element of the group’s B-E-S-T ‘Business’, ‘Environment’, ‘Social’ and ‘Transport’ remit, the plan proposes to address the Island’s present lack of facilities for young people in the 0-20 age group, through the creation of a dedicated Community Youth Centre. A facility specifically targeted to meet their growing needs, and create a safe social environment for the enjoyment a variety of positive and constructive activities, that currently entail a long and expensive journey off the Island.

Preliminary discussions with local groups and organisations as diverse as the Children’s Centre, Extended Services Forum, Local Schools, Church Groups, the Hayling Youth Council, Police and Community Support Officers, Community Board and the Hayling Island Residents Association, as well as officers and elected representatives of both Havant Borough and Hampshire County councils, have met with a warm and supportive response and broadly acknowledge the need for such a centre.

Now begins by far the most important phase of the ongoing consultation process - seeking the views, opinions and support of the businesses and residents of Hayling Island!

For the project to succeed Hayling’s BEST will need to put together a dedicated team of volunteers possessing all of the enthusiasm, skill and experience required to drive forward and develop a successful Community Project. People well versed in the expertise of fund raising, marketing, planning, publicity, negotiating and project management, as well as those with the necessary ‘people skills’ to work with the youth of Hayling once the proposed centre opens its doors to the public.

If you would like to see a better deal for the young people of Hayling as we approach the second decade of the 21st century, would like to hear more about this ambitious and exciting plan, and maybe even play your own personal part in bringing it to fruition. Come along to St Andrews Church Hall at 7.30 on the evening of Wednesday 21st January to listen, voice your opinion, and make your feelings known on this important local issue.

By forum user, Hayling's BEST

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