First anniversary of ‘Fab Fridays’

‘Fab Fridays’, a community club for young people in Caerphilly have recently marked their first anniversary. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The club runs every Friday night, with approximately 25 young people between the ages of 10 and 17 taking part in a range of organised activities such as football, basketball, touch rugby and dodgeball. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Since the initiative began in 2015, anti-social behaviour has fallen by over 18% in the Caerphilly area. Positive Futures now run the event and have secured funding for outdoor lighting to enable Fab Fridays continue into the dark evenings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The idea behind the community club came from Gwent Police CSO, Matt Pearce and CSO Lewis Parsons from the British Transport Police, after successfully running a number of rugby events during the summer of 2014 at Owain Glyndwr Park. The events were aimed at diverting local youngsters away from anti-social behaviour into taking part in more positive activities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caerphilly Community Support Officer, Matt Pearce said: “Being the local Officer for Caerphilly town centre and having regular contact with local young people, especially the ones that misbehave. It was regularly commented that their behaviour was borne out of boredom and that there was nothing for them to do and nowhere for them to go”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He continued: “It was highlighted that Friday evening was out peak period for anti-social behaviour called and so ‘Fab Fridays’ was launched to target the issue. During the past year we have put on activities such as an outdoor climbing call, an inflatable rugby cage, football, netball and a range of other activities. Over 100 young people have attended Fab Fridays, which runs every Friday between 6pm and 8pm, weather permitting”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services said: “I am delighted with the results that ‘Fab Fridays’ has produced. This local community club provides a number of benefits to residents by providing young people with a place to go which leads to reduced levels of anti-social behaviour. I hope that ‘Fab Fridays’ continue to positively benefit the local community”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fab Fridays runs on Friday nights from 6pm until 8pm at Twyn Primary School, Caerphilly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​