‘EXCLUSIVE: ‘A youth centre on the Hill would unite our community’.

‘I believe anti social behaviour would decrease as the youth desperately need a place to go‘-A Harold Hill man’s battle to bring a youth club to the community.

“We would strive to give our teenagers support and positive guidance, to help them take on their future with more confidence and purpose,” said Rico. The former Harold Hill resident who now lives in Havering-atte-Bower, has really dedicated his time in a desperate battle to bring a youth centre to the Harold Hill community to support its youth.

“Our aim is to unite our community, for the club to be led by the community, to be open and accessible to everyone. To offer educational opportunities, to respect diversity, to provide programmes of learning, and ultimately to help our youth how we can.”

Rico has been working with local members of the Harold Hill community such as Simon Ford a local shopkeeper who alongside Jan Sargent are two community champions.

He continued:”Jan Sargent is a great unpaid servant to our community, and Malcolm Banks who ran a small community hub and also works hard for the Hill, have both been very supportive of this project.

“I would like the centre to have table tennis, pool tables, football, a music room a chill area and an area of support. We would also form a team committee who better understands the needs of the youth with the youth themselves. No one will be charged for any of the activities. It will be completely free.”

Rico is a born and bred Harold Hill man who is desperate to make this project come true. He has witnessed the increase in crime and sees the impact it is having on our youth and stresses that now, more than ever, is it vital to have a youth club in the area.

“Our youth need this, they need our support right now. I believe anti social behaviour would decrease as the youth desperately need a place to go.”

Sadly, Rico’s biggest stumbling block is the local council. Rico is asking for the use of an empty building to convert and the ability for it to be rent free and all the rest he would arrange himself.

He finished: “Yes, the biggest challenge facing us is Havering Council not wanting to give anything away for free and sadly not understanding the important and positive impact this would have on our youth. I’m from Harold Hill and I believe that we, the local people can get all the funding we need to make this happen and most importantly to make it the success we know it will be. Please support us…….”

A youth club in the area would undoubtedly make a big difference and provide as Rico rightly states, a vital place for our youth to go. Local bereaved parents have been fighting hard to have a facility that would support the youth and this project surely is the right way forward.

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