Spring 2012 - Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Communities
Residents are setting up their own new local activities, newsletters and
youth clubs, as well as working on community plans for the future of their
areas, working with the council’s community development team. Here are
the team’s latest updates from around the borough.
Our first Disability Challengers’ youth club opens
The Disability Challengers’ first Hampshire youth scheme
is now meeting all day on Saturdays and on Monday
evenings in the refurbished youth wing of Oakridge Hall for
All in Basingstoke. Run by the registered charity Disability
Challengers and supported by the borough and county
councils, the scheme gives young people between the ages
of 13 and 18 the chance to socialise and develop through
leisure activities. The launch at the centre in Forsythia Walk,
in January, gave young people the chance to enjoy a range
of activities, including Wii games, art and even some fun
wrestling in giant Sumo suits.
Kat Mack, of Disability Challengers, said: “The scheme is
set to be a great success in Basingstoke and we are keen
to run youth holiday schemes and other schemes for all age
groups.” For more information about Disability Challengers
see www.disability-challengers.org or call 01483 230939.
Bramley
A new part-time youth worker is being
recruited to Bramley Youth Project to
develop the youth club and its activities.
Buckskin and Worting
The Ridgeway Centre has got funding
from Worting Playing Trust to continue
the Buckskin & Worting Bugle newsletter
for the next three years. The community
association is planning more of its
popular information technology courses
and has recruited two new youth
workers to set up new activities and look
for further funding opportunities. The
Heart of Buckskin Group has developed
a survey for residents to create a
community plan for the future.
Chineham
People and organisations in
Chineham have been meeting with the
community development worker to
look at developing a Summer Streetz
programme of evening youth activities in
the area in August 2012.
Dummer
A nature group is being set up in
Dummer and some residents are
now working towards starting a
children’s group in the village once a
month on a Saturday.
Eastrop
A group of young people at the Irish
Centre in Council Road, Basingstoke
have started a talent showcase.
This follows on from a launch event in
October with over 100 young people
attending.
North Waltham
A new youth club for nine to 13 year
olds has been set up in North Waltham
running at the Rathbourne pavilion on
Friday evenings.
Oakridge
A new youth club, ‘The Shack’ has
started at Oakridge Hall for All on
Thursday evenings in the refurbished
and refurnished youth wing.
Overton
A new community planning group has
been set up in Overton.
Popley
A youth club is now running every
Monday evening at Popley Fields
Community Centre, with around 30
young people coming along each
week. The Popley Fields Community
Association has now applied for funding
from Hampshire County Council’s youth
support service to employ a youth
worker to help develop the club.
Popley
Marnel and Merton Community Planning
Group is now finalising a questionnaire
to go out to residents for distribution
shortly.
Sherfield Park (Taylor’s Farm)
Activities available at Sherfield Park
Community Centre are continuing to
increase, a day nursery has opened
and community events hosted there are
attracting several hundred residents and
three new volunteers have joined the
community association committee.
South Ham
South Ham Youth Project is now well
established with over 500 young people
attending the sessions since last July.
South Ham’s community planning group
has sent out a formal questionnaire to
all homes in South Ham, focusing on
20 Basingstoke & Deane Today