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Youths use fund to set up disability
club
A dedicated activity club for young people
with various disabilities and special needs has been established at
Oakfield High School and College.
The Vimto Crew have named themselves after the ‘slurping on the purple’
soft drink because the company sponsors the Oakfield school bus.
The club will get young people aged 16 to 19 involved in all sorts of
activities including photography, rounders, card making, ITC,
basketball, arts & crafts and painting.
The group will also produce and perform a dance routine at Oakfield as
part of the DaDa Fest 2007, which celebrates disability and deaf arts in
the North West, as well as undertaking a project with local artist Brian
Taylor as part of the annual Youth Arts Challenge.
Vimto crew member Elissa Kinnear, 18, says: “I have joined the group
because I used to go to Shooting Stars at Mere Oaks and we had lots of
fun. I was a bit upset when the club was stopped so I’m really happy
we’ve got a new one. It gives us a chance to have a laugh and to meet up
with our mates outside of college.”
The club has been set up through funding from the Youth Opportunities
Fund, a £300,000 pot of central government money controlled by a panel
of local young people to create more things for young people to do and
better places for them to go. The Vimto Crew has been given funding to
pay for equipment, activities and staff costs.
The Vimto Crew is being run by the Children and Young People’s Services
Youth Service with support from Oakfield High School and College staff.
CYPS Youth Worker Angela Wood says: “We’ve only had a couple of sessions
so far but everyone is having a good time. The group is really
enthusiastic and great to work with. The young people will develop their
social skills through mixing with other young people in a friendly
environment and the accredited activities will lead to personal
development. Most importantly it's a chance for young people to have fun
and enjoy themselves. Oakfield School have been very supportive and
we’re really happy to have the group up and running."
The Vimto Crew meets every Tuesday between 3pm and 5pm. For further
information contact Angela Wood on (01942) 705944.
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Notes to Editors
Photo opportunity
• Members of the press are invited to photograph the Vimto Crew at
Oakfield High School and College on Tuesdays between 3pm and 5pm. To
arrange a suitable date please contact Kennedy Stewart, Young People’s
Press Officer at Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust, on (01942) 486927.
Further information
• For further information please contact Kennedy Stewart on (01942)
486927.
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