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Police and Young People Out for a
Kick-about.
POLICE and young people from Ashton, Platt
Bridge and Hindley are set to test each others skill and sportsmanship
in a special football match.
On Friday evening (May 29), members of the local police and young people
from the area will take part in the match on St Edmund Arrowsmith High
School’s field in Ashton.
The match is part of Operation Buzzer - an on-going initiative between
Greater Manchester Police, Wigan Council and other agencies to provide
positive activities for young people and keep them off the streets.
A group of young people from the area have formed a team for the special
event and also have a host of keen supporters who will come and cheer
them along.
Wigan Council youth worker Tony Russell said: “This group usually meet
up on a Friday night anyway so it gives them something to do.
“It also shows them the police in a different light. They can see that
the police are there working for them rather than against them.”
Ben Hornby, 17, from Ashton, is one of those playing in the match.
He said: “We have been training four or five nights a week. We’ve been
doing laps of the pitch and practicing lots to see how we all play
together.
“It’s been really good doing this because it gets you off the streets
and doing something on a Friday night.
“We’ve no doubt we’ll thrash them – we’ve got the skills.”
Operation Buzzer has been set up by Greater Manchester Police working in
conjunction Wigan Council’s Children and Young People’s Services.
Together they have set up a number of initiatives where they will be
working with the youths of Ashton, Platt Bridge and Hindley to run
activities through the May, summer and Christmas holidays.
PC Tracey Pattison, school-based police officer at Byrchall High School,
said: “A lot of young people get painted in a bad light, but really they
just need something to do.
“GMP is committed to working with young people in Ashton, in partnership
with the community as a whole.
“Antisocial behaviour involving young people has been identified by the
community as an area which causes concern and therefore is a priority
for the neighbourhood policing team.
“We will work with the young people in conjunction with Wigan Council to
reduce problems in hot spot areas.
“I must stress that this is a minority of youths who cause any trouble
and not the majority.”
ENDS.
Further information.
For more information contact Angela Kirk, Young People’s Press
Officer for the Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust,
on 01942 828923 or e-mail
A.Kirk@wlct.org
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