Combatting youth nuisance in Fleetwood with three new clubs

Efforts to try to reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour in Fleetwood have been cranked up.There have been on-going problems with mindless vandalism, under-age drinking and nuisance behaviour from a minority of youngsters in the town for several years.But no fewer than eight different groups are now involved in a project called Working Together Better in Fleetwood to try and deal with the issue.The idea behind the scheme is to engage with young people, many of whom say there is not enough to do in the town, who are bored and have low aspirations.One of the organisations playing a leading role in the project is charity Active Lancashire, which has won cash from Sport England to help set up new activities for young people in Fleetwood.Ronan McMahon (inset), satellite clubs leads for Active Lancashire, said: “We are moving forward and we’re starting to see the positive results of the work that has been on-going for some time.“One of the recurring themes in Fleetwood has been that there is not enough for young people to do; there are not enough outlets.“There are still challenges ahead but good work is being done, working with our partners.”Active Lancashire has invested £18,020 in three satellite clubs at Fleetwood – a “free-running” parkour group for eight to 18 year olds; a K Pop X dance group for 11 to 19 year olds and Glow Games sessions for 13-19 year olds, being delivered by groups such as the YMCA and Fleetwood Town FC Community Trust.The project’s partners are Fleetwood Town Council, Wyre Council, Lancashire Police, Lancashire County Council’s Children and Family Wellbeing Service, Lancashire’s Youth Offending Team, Fleetwood Town FC Community Trust, Addaction, the Community Safety Partnership and Active Lancashire.Last year, the project saw a survey carried out by Shelly Birch, of Wyre Council, and Dawn Spooner, of Fleetwood Town Council.After they asked almost a thousand 11-16 years in Fleetwood what activities they were involved in, some 64 per cent did not attend any clubs while 66.5 per cent thought there was not enough for youths to do in Fleetwood.