YOUNG people in Petersfield have been given an early Christmas present – money towards a new skate park. A £5,000 grant from Hampshire County Council has been put towards the £270,000 cost of replacing the existing park at the town's recreation ground, which is being proposed by the Festival for Young People, a voluntary organisation set up to generate respect between the generations and to promote the achievements of young people. Petersfield Town Council had already earmarked £50,000 to contribute to the project and an application is being made to the National Lottery Fund for an additional £200,000. Nigel Wells, from the Festival for Young People, said: "We are delighted that Hampshire County Council is supporting the skate park and that it has come up so quickly and early with its grant, which is the maximum it can donate to such a project." Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber said: "Skateboarding is a skilful and popular sport among many young people and I am sure that new facilities would be well received. "Young people often tell us that there are not enough activities for them to do or places they can go where they feel welcome. I hope that the new skatepark in Petersfield obtains the necessary planning approval because it would improve the sport for users and provide a place for young people to meet." The Festival for Young People has been involved in skatepark fundraising for two years and is pleased with the progress of its campaign, which this latest development has helped. Mr Wells said: "It's a big boost to what we are trying to do as that will help any applications we make. It has come as a result of having various meetings with county council leader Ken Thornber. "We have been asked by the town council to move things forward as fast as we can. The town council has approved the drawings. now we need to resolve the fencing boundary between the football ground and the skatepark. Next, we will need to go for planning permission and start the serious raising of funds." Mr Wells added: "Hampshire County Council has given this grant in advance of the planning permission. We believe there will be no problem, but we have to cross all the ts and dot the is. "The lottery application has not gone in yet as we want to resolve the problem of the fencing as that could involve further costings. We are aiming to raise £10,000. "There are certain grants you can get if you have raised money yourself. If the youngsters want a skatepark, they have got to be prepared to work for it. "So far youngsters have volunteered and done various tasks to raise funds. We want more jobs. It's just really to make people realise that you don't get something for nothing. About 30 youngsters are prepared to do some work to help raise the funds. "We would still need, in my view, to aim to reach this target of £10,000." Among fundraising activities planned by the Festival for Young People for the new year is a sponsored walk in April. The projected route would begin in Midhurst and make its way to Buriton, via the South Downs. In January, a charity concert was held by bands from The Petersfield School, raising around £700, which at the time was enough for them to urge the town's councillors to show the same sort of commitment to help improve the skating facilities available. In July, Mr Wells presented to the town council the plans for the huge overhaul to the existing facilities.
