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| FRUSTRATION: Water sports ended at Babbs Mill Lake over a decade ago and there are concerns current activities are poorly advertised or difficult to access. |
RESIDENTS have once again raised concerns that there is not enough effort being made to provide activities for young people.
At a meeting in Kingshurst last month, anger often boiled over about a perceived lack of youth services in the north of the borough.
Residents cited the loss of facilities over the years, including the water sports centre at Babbs Mill Lake and several youth centres.
While representatives from Solihull Council argued that new services continue to be introduced, frustrated locals maintained that these were either poorly advertised or difficult to access given often limited public transport links.
David Cole, from Kingshurst Parish Council, said: “What’s happened with the bus services is absolutely criminal.
“If the [young people] want to go into Chelmsley Wood to go swimming or into Solihull to go skating they just don’t have the option. We want to see some action.”
Another resident stressed how important services could be for local young people, noting that one of the rising stars of the British music scene – Lady Leshurr – had discovered her passion for music at MCing sessions in Kingshurst.
Councillor Tony Dicicco, cabinet member for stronger communities and partnerships, said that he was sympathetic to the challenges facing the community, revealing he had grown up on a Walsall estate “which made Kingshurst look like Beverly Hills”.
“This local authority does do a lot of stuff for young people,” he argued. “But we do want to engage more people in that age group.”
Gillian Crabbe, the council’s community safety manager, highlighted activities increasingly taking place at Smith’s Wood Sports College and the CTC Kingshurst Academy.
While Meriden MP, Dame Caroline Spelman, said she believed the council was trying to engage with young people, she acknowledged the obstacles for some families.
“I am aware that services in Chelmsley Wood would not be accessible to those people in Kingshurst who may not even have the money for the bus fare,” she said.
I agree there are many structured activities in North Solihull, but these don't suit all young people. There is a dearth of safe spaces where young people can go and informally interact with their friends, develop social and life skills, and access support if they require it. Many would access these informal sessions where thye can have taster sessions of different activities till they find something that suits them. Fortuno is a local voluntary group that offers this to 11 -18 year olds on a Wednesday evening from 7pm-9pm at Castle Bromwich Youth Centre. We also offer a transition session for children in year 6 and 7 on a tuesday evening from 6-30 pm - 8pm. We start back Sept 19th. All sessions are free and provided by community members. Unfortunately, it is not free to host, so its sustainability is not guaranteed. The current austerity program is adversely affecting young people in North Solihull who haven't got a passion for specific, positive activities, who would benefit from informal activities that enable them to broaden their experiences and find something they love.
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