The Little Burton Neighbourhood Youth Forum turned their ‘hoop dreams’ into a reality when their plans to improve local facilities for young people resulted in a basketball court and shelter being built on the village playing fields.

Chris and Kieran, two members of the youth forum, were on hand to shoot hoops and shoot the breeze about the project. Chris said: “We used to just have a football pitch with only one goal and since the youth forum got involved, we’ve got another goal, the basketball court and now the shelter, so there’s lots more things for young people to do.”

Kieran added: “Lots of people are coming here to use the court and shelter, and the fishing club, another project we’ve helped with, is even stronger than it used to be. You don’t see many people out on the streets drinking now because there is more to do.”

The youth forum’s successful application for funding was supplied by the Community Grants Fund Scheme and they have been helped and supported in this initiative by Youth Projects Co-ordinator at Ashford Borough Council, Carol Morton:

“The Little Burton Farm Neighbourhood Youth Forum have worked very hard to obtain the basketball court and shelter for the local young people, and this project is something they can be really proud of.”

The basketball court and shelter have been installed at the playing fields, across the lake from the houses, at Little Burton Farm. Last year, The Little Burton Neighbourhood Youth Forum helped to start a project for the fishing club, obtaining funding for some equipment, and also arranged for new goal posts to be installed on the playing field.

The Little Burton Neighbourhood Youth Forum is always looking for more young people to attend their meetings and get involved with activities and projects like this.

For more information about this, or for details of Youth Forum’s in other areas, please visit the What Matters website.

The Community Grants Fund Scheme is a grant programme for community projects in Ashford Borough and will help fund one-off project costs that will involve and benefit local people.

The Scheme looks to support projects which: encourage broad participation and involvement of local people; offer learning opportunities; enhance the environment; benefit young people; and, show innovation and creativity.