Neighbourhood Renewal is not just about physical improvements to an area, it is also about giving many more people the chance to take part in activities that improve the quality of life in neighbourhoods. This summer, sports, arts and play workers have been offering young people and adults the chance to take part in exciting and fun projects and events in the town with the Get With It programme of activities for the school holidays which has ranged from tree climbing to puppet making and film production.
Hastings Borough Council's sport, arts and play development team worked in partnership with various agencies including Hastings and Bexhill Youth Service, Sussex Police, local playlinks, the NSPCC, play providers and local community groups to ensure a full range of creative, recreational and sporting opportunities were provided for young people in Hastings & St Leonards. The summer activities took place in Castle, Broomgrove, Hollington, Gensing and Central St Leonards wards.
This year's summer of play has seen local playworkers providing over 100 hours of play activities in local neighbourhoods across the town. Children, young people and families have been able to take part in activities ranging from woodworking, kite making, messy play, giant chess and clay modelling. Over 2000 young people and adults attended the playdays held throughout August in Alexandra Park. The weekly play sessions have helped relieve adult stress and boredom during the long summer holidays as well as providing opportunities for young people to learn new skills, gain confidence and make new friends
To deliver the programme, new play workers were recruited locally to work alongside existing play workers and they will be continuing a programme of play training for next year.
Hastings & St Leonards has a large arts community which has been working hard to make sure that a range of arts projects have been available to people of different ages and different interests.
This project resulted in a mural being painted on the wall of Hollington Youth Centre. The young people involved filmed and photographed the project as it took shape. The film was produced and edited by the young people and will be shown on the Pier during Hastings Film Festival at the end of October.
Local arts group Radiator has run a series of prop-making and costume workshops with 9-17 year olds from Farley Bank, Broomgrove, Hollington and Central St Leonards. The young people will work alongside artists and performers to put on a show at Hastings Pier on October 26th & 27th called Timebends. It will be performed in the ballroom using scenic effects, performance, costume, lighting and abstract and musical sound. The audience will walk through the various environments that are created and experience a shift in their normal perception of time and space.
`Refugees Near & Far' is a photographic exhibition of children participating in recent refugee theatre workshops, shown alongside superb paintings courtesy of Save the Children by refugee children in a refugee camp in Kenya.
The fellowship of St Nicholas has hosted two Neighbourhood Renewal projects.
Participants produced postcard images of young people in Hastings & St Leonards learning photography skills and using information to find out what life is like for young people in the town. This project will culminate in an exhibition of photographs by the young people and will include images which focus on the seafront between Hastings and Bexhill. Until October 31st
Two local brothers, Julian and James Humphries worked with 11-17 year olds helping them to create their own musical interpretations including street break dancing.
Using physical theatre, improvisation, comedy, slapstick, simple acrobatic moves and music, Inside Out introduced the participants to street theatre.
They encouraged team games and support as well as enabling individuals to help build their confidence and communication skills.
On the sporting side, The London Towers Basketball Coaches provided young people with some of the tricks of the trade and culminated in a tournament at Horntye Sports Complex at the end of August. Brighton and Hove Football Club also came to Hastings to pass on new skills and spot the new Michael Owen!
Lee Dance, who has been instrumental in organising the skating sessions at the YMCA brought his expertise in to the local communities. Young people were given the opportunity to have a go at skating and after a just a couple of week's practice were flying all over the place!
Councillor John Humphries Cabinet Member responsible for Community Participation, said: "Over the Summer months the Council has been working with many more organisations and individuals in the key neighbourhood renewal areas. Everyone involved has been helping to exchange and develop their skills while building the contacts needed to involve many more people in the process of neighbourhood renewal."
If you would like more information about Neighbourhood Renewal, please contact:
Head of Community Services 781131.
Arts Development Officer 781154.
Play Development Worker 781452.
Sports Development Officer 781189.
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This page last updated: 15/10/2001