FARNHAM teenagers will have a new place to hang out once a fortnight in the evenings, as Farnham Town Council sets about fulfilling some of the needs identified in the Farnham Healthcheck. The healthcheck pinpointed the lack of facilities for youngsters as one of the most pressing problems and the council, working through action plan officer Frances Halstead, has set about tackling the situation. The proprietor of The Gorge in The Woolmead has agreed to the premises being used as a youth cafe, once a fortnight on a Tuesday evening from 6 to 8 pm, starting on November 1. It will be a non-profit making venture, with youngsters paying a small charge for refreshments. Music will be provided, there will be board games and cards for those who want to play and youth workers on hand for anyone who wants advice on teenage problems. The healthcheck has also played a part in developing the proposals for the meeting place/resource centre and drop-in centre for youth, which will open at the Farnham Youth Project premises, The Warehouse, in January. Also being planned is a youth shelter, to provide a safe, open meeting place, probably by the skatepark in Dogflud Way. Funding has been applied for from the deprived communities fund of Surrey Community Action. The recent Battle of the Bands event, which was a complete sell-out at Farnham Maltings, was another venture for which the healthcheck can take partial credit. So, too, is a day trip for enthusiasts aged 15 and over to a skatepark in London, being organised by the Farnham Christian Community Trust group, The Grind. Dealing with a completely different age group, the healthcheck identified a substantial need for retraining older people in a new career. To this end a workshop to encourage unemployed people to consider setting up their own business is being held at the Maltings on November 14. It will be organised by PRIME (the Prince's Initiative for Mature Enterprise), an organisation initially set up by The Prince of Wales, who remains president. It is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the charity Age Concern, dedicated to helping people aged over 50 set up in business. The initial workshop will be for people whose skills lie with the creative arts, but others may follow. There are still vacancies on the course. For details contact Frances Halstead on 01252 823194 or Kate Martin, business adviser for artists and craft makers at the Maltings on 01252 718001. A database detailing the facilities for older people is being set up. "It was found there was little co-ordination between organisations running services for older people," Frances Halstead explained. "Often organisations didn't know what the others were doing, or the elderly people didn't know what was on offer. "With the database, all the organisations can link in and there should be no duplication. We are talking to Haslemere and Cranleigh, so it may be a joint venture. I would like the residents of Farnham to be involved in it and to have their say," she added. A working party, including Farnham residents involved through the Surrey 50+ Network, has been set up to try to improve transport and co-ordination of facilities for older people. Talks are being held with Hoppa about a regular service to Frimley Park Hospital. Frances Halstead has also been talking to the primary care trust about giving as many elderly patients as possible appointments at Farnham Hospital rather than Frimley, and about giving full information to the patients about how to get to the relevant hospital. Other action progressed under the healthcheck includes discussions with Waverley Council over replacement of some of the older damaged litter bins and repainting the street furniture in Woolmead. Farnham Chamber of Commerce is being asked its views on setting up a business partnership to recycle business waste in Farnham and Surrey County Council has been persuaded to fund signing and timetable cases at every bus stop in Farnham. More cycle racks and cycle facilities and improved street lighting are also within the town council's sights and the council is poised to take over responsibility for Farnham in Bloom, now that the In Bloom volunteer committee are hanging up their aprons. "We want to keep up the impetus. The ladies have done such a wonderful job, we don't want to lose that," said Frances Halstead, adding that the In Bloom effort could spread from the town centre to the villages, if there is the interest. With a wide diversity of tasks in progress, and employed for just 18 hours a week up until April, the action plan officer is conscious that there is no time to lose, but happy with the progress made so far. "Partnership working is helping enormously," she said, referring to the input of of Waverley borough and Surrey county councils, and other bodies. Members of the healthcheck steering group are still much involved in bringing the projects to fruition, but there is plenty of scope for the rest of the public to play a part in a range of initiatives. "The more help I get, the quicker we can achieve things," said Frances Halstead, who can be contacted through Farnham Town Council.
