Castleford Youngsters Urged To Show Red Card To Anti Social Behaviour Through Soccer Scheme

 Monday July 23, 2012

Teenagers in Castleford are being urged to show a red card to anti social behaviour and boredom this summer through a new football scheme set to kick off in the town.  

The Castleford Neighbourhood Policing Team and partners including Wakefield Council and Myplace are to launch a free 5 a side summer soccer scheme from Saturday July 28 to help provide fun activities for youngsters in the Airedale area.

Teenage boys and girls aged 11-16 in Airedale will be eligible to take part in the two hour Saturday morning sessions at the The Hut youth centre in Airedale which has been provided free of charge by Myplace. 

Officers and volunteers will be on hand to supervise sessions with the teenagers which are intended to both keep them occupied during the holidays and improve relations between local young people and their NPT officers.

PCSO Matt Longdon of the Castleford NPT, who has been involved in setting up the scheme, said he hoped it would be a big hit with teenagers in the Airedale are.

He said: "Football is always a popular sport and by putting on these special sessions we hope to provide our local teenagers with a fun activity they will enjoy in a safe area.

"We often hear from youngsters that there is nothing to do over the summer so we hope that by providing them with some free football we can build better relations with them and divert them away from possible anti social behaviour.

"I also want to thank Wakefield Council and Myplace as the whole project could not have gone ahead without their support and generosity."

The PCSO added that if the scheme was a success, they would love to expand it to other NPT areas across West Yorkshire to organise proper tournaments between teenagers over subsequent summers.

Neil Kennedy C.E.O. at Chrysalis Youth & Community Project and Liz Firth Manager of the Hut said: "This is a brilliant opportunity for local Young People to benefit and participate in a free sporting activity during the Summer hols. 

“This will enable them to keep fit, make new friends and have the use of these great new local facilities."

Cllr Olivia Rowley, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for Children and Young people said: “The Hut is a brand new youth centre in the centre of Airedale and this is just one of many great opportunities for young people to come and experience what the centre has to offer.

“This scheme is a great chance for young people to not only meet the youth workers, local police officers and sports coaches but to importantly have some fun and learn new skills.”

NOTE FOR EDITORS

The football sessions will run for 2 hours every Saturday morning between 10am and 12 noon from July 28

For more information and details on taking part contact PCSO Matt Longdon on 01924 206210 or by email at matthew.longdon@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk