'Centre is vital' Ian Buckland

11.33.00am GMT Sat 21st Nov 2009

Cllr. Ian Buckland

I WAS invited to the open day at the Flintstone Centre to celebrate its 40 years as a youth centre.

It was an honour to meet Ken Hatton and Eileen Smart, who were the first-ever youth leaders there, to see the photographs of years gone by and to listen to the stories of yesteryear, which always fascinate me.

Then to meet more people who were the as children and then became leaders and whose children attended the Flintstone Centre and, who knows, maybe their children will attend the youth centre.

By looking and listening, it became apparent that the fond memories of this youth centre will survive for a long time yet.

The feeling is that this is not just a youth centre, but more like a big community home which is so friendly and welcoming.

Long may it continue to be so.

On the down side, it is apparent from some of the conversations I had that there is a severe lack in financial support for such establishments.

So, as a councillor, I urge our councils to do more to make sure these establishments stay open, and maybe even ask our local businesses to contribute, if possible.

Without these organisations, our children will be forced back onto the streets because they have nowhere to go. We don't want that now, do we?

Ian Buckland

Liberal Democrat town and Arun district councillor for River ward

Littlehampton