My mum is one of many youth workers who has worked at The Sid (she later transferred to The Rose Wilmot Centre in Durrington) and, when I was younger, I spent quite a lot of time at both centres.

I am now 22 and I will always remember The Sid as a place of entertainment and enjoyment, where I learned about friendships, teamwork and a whole host of other things.

What gets me is the way the council appear to be reducing facilities for young people.

Readers may remember a couple of years ago when the Rose Wilmot Youth Centre was demolished so that Highdown School could be re-located on the site.

At the time, my mum was in charge of the running of the centre.

She spent a long time trying to ensure that The Rosie was kept alive.

A new Rose Wilmot was integrated into the Highdown building and it has never been the same since.

I believe it is now nowhere near as popular as it was.

There have been several letters recently from people concerned about teens causing trouble on the streets, so, I ask, why are the council apparently so intent on taking away (and reducing) the facilities which are there to stop this happening?

If you ask me, there should be more youth centres opened, perhaps then we won't have boy-racers ripping up the roads, teenagers intimidating people (apparently, by just being there) and all the other things young people usually get the blame for (cars being damaged, youths drunk on the streets etc.).

It is my opinion (rightly or wrongly) young people are getting a very hard lot at the moment.

There is hardly anything around to occupy them and they always appear to get blamed for society's problems.

We need more facilities and events which would appeal to young people and, at the same time, encourage them off the streets.

If facilities keep being taken away, things will only get worse.

It seems obvious to me.

Keep the youth centres for the youths.

Mr G Foster
High Salvington

NOTE: All letters must include a name and address which can be withheld by request.

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