Funding diversionary activities for young people through As One

As One, which is organised by Business Crime Direct in Liverpool meets every month in Kensington, hosted by C7 and I am a member of the committee. Kensington and Fairfield Labour Councillors have contributed funds from our Working Neighbourhood Fund too. The “As” in “As One” stands for “Anti-Social” and the committee works on finding things for kids and young people to do so that they are safely occupied and not on the streets committing AS behaviour (ASB).

Last week we recapped on all the activities we have supported during the last year. There was ice-skating on mischief night in North Wales and the same night a party in the Police Club in Fairfield for the younger children. We supported a Frenzy night at St Francis of Assisi Academy school for 11 – 16 year olds. For the second year running (or maybe third?), we sent every year 6 child in the ward to a Your Choice conference designed to limit ASB which they absolutely love because of all the music and drama involved.

And lots of other things besides.

We learnt from the police that 10 tonnes of wood and other flammable material was removed from the residential streets of K&F during bonfire week so that kids could not start fires. We also heard that ASB was considerably down on mischief night and that virtually no fireworks now go off in the run up to November 5th. All credit to the Labour Government for introducing those laws I campaigned for so long ago. I might stick a piccie up if I can find one of me and David Bowe MEP on a stall in Holmfirth getting signatures on a petition.

I told them about the new young people’choir we are setting up and supporting in the area, and about our support for training kids for this year’s radio station and about our work with the detached youth workers on the Molyneux.

We are seeking new committee members so if you are interested in joining us to keep kids safely occupied, please get in touch.