No need for building

Your recent article about youth provision in Axminster failed to mention the sterling work that Yvonne Taylor and Julia Daley undertook at the Pippins Centre in running a four night a week youth club for a period of some 20 years.

Your recent article about youth provision in Axminster failed to mention the sterling work that Yvonne Taylor and Julia Daley undertook at the Pippins Centre in running a four night a week youth club for a period of some 20 years. There are, today, many adults in Axminster who benefited from their years of committed service.

Pippins and the club was a base from which a wide range of youth activities flowed. These included coach trips to discos, Bristol for ice skating, Poole Water Park and to pop concerts.

Sporting and adventure activities were a regular feature of the extensive programme, some or which were of a residential nature. Such opportunities were offered at weekends and during school holidays. Both Yvonne and Julia have never received the thanks or recognition that they deserve from the community.

In today's ever-changing youth culture, I would question the wisdom of building-based facilities. Mobile provision in the form of an 'outreach vehicle' offers a flexible approach in contacting young people where they are congregating at any given time. Making contact is the basic principle of developmental youth work; it's not enough to rely on young people taking the initiative.

Peter Lacey

Former Axe Valley District Youth Worker

Fairfield Park

Lyme Regis