The Friends of Shepley have announced new proposals for a youth club in the village.
They want to use the council-owned recreation field and memorial wood to run outdoor activities over the Summer months. They are asking local residents to lend their support and volunteer a few hours of their time to supervise members.
Previous attempts to set up a youth group in Shepley have not been successful to date. Last year a 12-year old local school girl from the village gathered over 200 signatures from class mates in support of an after-school activity group. With help from her parents and the village association she set up a small task force to investigate the opportunity further.
Cliffe House
As a result, organisers from the task force asked staff at Cliffe House if youngsters in the village could use the facilities there; including the outdoor and indoor play areas. Cliffe House provides bespoke learning and events for schools, groups, colleges, businesses, individuals and the community.
Managers at Cliffe House agreed to do a full risk assessment and take on the responsibility of running the youth group. Sadly, few volunteers came forward to help supervise the activities and the plans were shelved.
Friends of Shepley
However, the Friends of Shepley have recently built play areas for local children in the recreation field and memorial wood. With the Council's full written permission, we are led to believe.
The agreement between the Council and Friends of Shepley will reassure parents and local residents concerned over youth safety and supervision. The woods are situated a fair distance away from the village with few people around to watch what's going on.
Clearly the Friends of Shepley have recognised that this is an issue. The Council has responsibility to make sure that a full risk assessment is done, including a health and safety check. Appropriate public liability insurance also needs to be in place; especially since the Council is also the landlord. Council staff will also carry out the relevant DBS checks where necessary.
Andy Scott, Chair of the Friends of Shepley said
"With minimum costs and outlay, supervised play would be available to the village free of charge."
Village consultation
Many villagers are interested to know how the new proposals will work. They would like the opportunity to discuss ideas with each other and the Friends of Shepley through an open public meeting. We look forward to providing our readers with a date in due course.
Your Views
What do you think about the proposals for a youth club in Shepley? Share your thoughts with us and we'll publish them here.
