The end of a Pure Summer

14 September 2011

High Peak Community Housing have again concluded a successful Pure Summer holiday programme with over 2000 young people engaging in various activities across the Borough.We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who had their summer with us, and to the partner agencies that we worked closely with to deliver the programme. 

This year saw local clubs and businesses, such as Gamesley Villa Football Club, Buxton Juniors and Little Learners, providing sports coaching sessions which proved to be extremely popular and which also gave the clubs a chance to gain some new recruits through signposting the youths to the local football club training sessions. 

Also included in the programme were trips to the Chill Factor at the Trafford Centre for ‘tubing’ and multi-activity days at the Rope Race in Marple where young people participated in canoeing, rock climbing, archery and team building exercises. As always the trips were well received by the young people across the borough, giving them the chance to enjoy new experiences and visit places from outside of their neighbourhood.  

In addition, a mobile unit travelled between Gamesley and Buxton to deliver activities within the smaller communities across the High Peak. Those who attended the mobile sessions were able to play quick-cricket, football, pool and rounder’s within their local grassed areas and parks; whilst arts and crafts were also available for those not sport-orientated. 

Pure Summer 2011 relied on increased partnership working with activities being detailed for agencies including the Derbyshire County Council Mat Teams (including Children’s Centres), High Peak Borough Council, St Phillip Howard School, Glossopdale Community College and Derbyshire Police. The increase in partnership working gave the Community Partnership Team of High Peak Community Housing the chance to engage in activities provided by other agencies and this in turn meant that activities, dates and times were not duplicated giving better attendance figures across the board. 

Dave Longbone, HPCH Senior Community Partnership Coordinator, said ‘’The comments and feedback from the young people are really positive with questions already being asked about what will be available in 2012. The Community Partnership Team are currently evaluating the programme and will be sending feedback forms to all those who participated in activities, which will give them the opportunity to express their views on what they think should be included in next year’s programme’’.