What Young People Want

A recent household survey revealed that local people thought that there was little for young people to do in Poulton.

Over the last few months Poulton Neighbourhood Management have been investigating ways of filling the gap.

In October a youth conference took place with local organisations, service providers and young people from the Morecambe Foyer and pupils from Morecambe High School.

First of all, a list of things that are currently on offer to young people was constructed to identify where the gaps might be. Those taking part were quite surprised about the decent amount of activities that are already taking place, but thought that they may be under used or that young people may have difficulties in accessing the services that are already available.

They were then asked to provide a range of solutions with limited funds and with unlimited funds.

A number of ideas came out of the youth conference such as:

• A cafe/juice bar which would open in the evenings and could also incorporate music and DJ nights.
• A gym or relaxation zone.
• Reduced rates on public transport for families and young people.
• Out of hours counselling service
• Multi use games area at Morecambe Bay Primary School (open to community outside of school opening times)
• Youth pub (no alcohol)
• Parenting support groups

Some ideas that were suggested but discarded included:

• Swimming pool
• Ice rink

Taking forward the ideas that came about from the Youth Conference, the team from Poulton Neighbourhood Management spent a day during the October half term, in the Arndale Centre to canvass young people’s opinions.

The response from local young people showed that the top three preferred options are: A multi use games area at Morecambe Bay Primary School A youth pub (no alcohol) Reduced rates for travelling on buses.

The next steps for taking this forward will be to plan the cost implications for Poulton Neighbourhood Management. Clearly we would wish to prioritise expenditure towards providing something for our younger residents. A full project appraisal will be presented to the management board and we will keep everyone updated as to the result in future editions of the Poulton Community Times.

Buddy Why Not Take The ‘But’ Out Of Cycling!

Ever thought about cycling to work but lack confidence? Confused about equipment? Need a little support in getting started? Unsure of the best route to take? If so, then the Bike Buddy Scheme could be right up your street!

Funded by the Lancaster and Morecambe Demonstration Town, the new Bike Buddy Scheme is a free service for local residents to help new and returning cyclists to get to grips with cycling by helping them to find a suitable route to where ever they want to go.

Bike Buddies are all experienced cyclists with a local good knowledge and able to map out the most suitable route for any required journey, whether it be to work, the supermarket, health centre or community hall.

By completing a simple questionnaire asking a few basic questions about your cycling abilities, you will be matched with a buddy who will contact you by phone or by email to discuss your requirements and arrange a convenient time and date to meet up for a dummy run of the journey.

Buddies will also be on hand to give information on the local cycle network, to give tips on riding safely in traffic, varying environments and weather conditions and offer advice on equipment, accessories and basic bike maintenance.

With Lancaster and Morecambe one of just six Cycle Demonstration Towns across the country, it’s hoped the Bike Buddy Scheme will remove any barriers faced by cyclists and encourage more people to get on their bikes and show the rest of the country the cycling way!

If you are interested in joining the scheme you can pick up a questionnaire and more information from the Winning Back Morecambe’s West End office on Albert Road.

It’s easy, and in just a few single steps you could be pedalling away!