THIS
IS HOW IT ALL BEGAN
Sharon
Williams, who was a lecturer at Northumberland College, thought that
it seemed a shame that the children who attended the Warkworth Cricket
Club during the summer would not maintain their friendships throughout
the winter when the cricket coaching finished in September. She sent
a note to their parents expressing this view.
A meeting was arranged and three parents attended - Keith Puddephatt,
Penny Wright and Maria Orange. A committee was formed - Sharon Chair,
Keith Treasurer and Penny Secretary. They provisionally booked the
parish rooms but then contacted Serena Coulter (bookings secretary
for the Memorial Hall) who arranged for them to visit the hall with
Peter Atkinson. They booked the hall provisionally for Friday nights.
Keith and Sharon met with Alan Hedley of the Community Council in
September who told them to write a Constitution and Child Protection
Policy, he also advised them on grants.
They did this, had it approved, and started thinking about funding
- the Committee met with their children and other parents attended
with their children, and the 9 children present were asked about the
games and equipment they would like at a youth club. A bank account
was opened at Barclays in Alnwick.
Sharon
wrote to the Parish Council and they were awarded £50.00. Warkworth
Cricket Club awarded them £80.00 to buy a CD player.
They
had their paperwork in place and decided to open on 5th November 2004
with a 'Halloween' party - they thought it would give them an idea
of interest. They used their own money to purchase sweets and drinks
for the tuck shop. Sharon did posters for the party and distributed
them around the village and put an article in the Pelican. The party
was a great success, and 24 children attended.
The
following week they took in their own board games, there were a few
snooker tables, and parents donated a snooker table and two football
tables. They continued to run every Friday when the hall was free
but had to close early in December because of the Pantomime.
Sharon applied for a grant to Yvonne Durham of Alnwick District Council
and received the promise of 50% of the funding. She advised her to
go to the Strategic Partnership Scheme in Shilbottle for a 50% match
- Sharon met with Ian Humphreys several times and finally completed
the grant application in late November. He didn't have any money available
until March at the time and it was very complex - suddenly he did,
and he tasked them to raise £260 on 3rd December in order that
they receive a 50% match, the panel were meeting on 9th December.
They had to have the money by the following Wednesday. Sharon went
around Warkworth on the Friday with a letter to all the businesses
and on the following Tuesday had lifetime 'Founder
Sponsors' and 'Friends' of Warkworth Youth Club plus donations
and the £260 needed to apply for the full grant. The grant application
form and evidence of funding were taken to Ian Humphreys on Wednesday
8 December for submission the next day. On December 14th Sharon collected
the cheque from Mr Humphreys - the panel had approved their application.
They ordered some of the equipment in January and can now offer:
A table tennis table with wheelchair access, two snooker tables (large
and small), a pool table, an air hockey table, a giant tower game,
a ten pin bowling game, safe darts, football table, and there is always
a craft table and a quiet table for chatting. The craft table has
a theme when possible - Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, etc. Keith
Puddephatt and Steve Williams coach the children at table tennis and
pool. Ralph Firth taught chess throughout January and February and
has kindly lent them 4 chess sets (he is returning in September).
Penny and Bill Wright have donated a Playstation 1 to use on an old
portable. There are also board games - Hangman, Geo-Mag, Connect 4,
etc. There is a large board as the children enter the youth club,
and they can book themselves a 15 minute session on each piece of
the larger equipment.
Equipment still has to be purchased as the numbers are averaging 32
children. The drama club have kindly offered to buy them some equipment
using proceeds from a raffle to be held in April. Special events i.e.
a calligraphy session by Mike from Alnmouth, and nail art by Lynn
Elliott, have been organised and were very successful.
Sharon has also sent off for the Red Nose Day pack for 11th March.
There is to be a competition at Easter when the club is closed due
to previous bookings, using hangers donated by Jackie Galilee of the
Greenhouse.
On the last night, 22 April, a specialist from Pegswood, Elaine Porter,
is going to make money boxes from air hardening clay. This unique
session has been paid for by The Sun Hotel, who donated a piano, which
has been sold to fund the evening.
The club caters for 8-13 year olds primarily - under 8's can attend
accompanied by a parent for one hour 40 minutes only. There are currently
29 members as at 18 February 2005, an equal mix of both sexes. New
children are looked after by Jonathan Williams, who shows them around
and acts as a reference point on their first night. The children wrote
the youth club rules, and know that they will get a 'yellow' card
if they break them. There is a swear box at 10p a go (empty), and
a suggestion box. Year 7 and upwards run the tuck shop.
Sharon was contacting members by email but the Committee has decided
to revert to hard copy Newsletters and will be leaving them at the
youth club for parents to pick up at the door.
Membership is £1.00 for the year, entrance £1.00 a week
and the children can bring pocket money for the tuck shop. Everyone's
name goes into a hat and they have a 'lucky tuck shop' raffle each
week. They also have a 'birthday treat tuck shop' if anyone has a
birthday.
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