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Why have you not listened to our views when deciding to sell the Linton Centre?

Epsom Phab is an Inclusive youth club – some members have physical disabilities, some have learning difficulties and some members are able bodied. There are 120 members age 8 – 16 years and 20 Young volunteers age 14 – 20. We are an entirely voluntary group.

Every Friday evening around 100 youngsters come along and have fun together taking part in sports, crafts, playing games, music, drama, dance and socialising with around 40 members completing Youth Achievement Awards and organising our own shows, festivals and events. For example, our last show was directed and produced by 13 and 15 year olds with 60 people on stage and 500 people watching it, including the Mayor of Epsom.

Phab enables all young people to gain confidence and skills they can use in later life. An example is Olympic Gold medallist David Weir and others who have gone on to work in special needs and outdoor education.  We were one of the first groups in the country to receive the Queens Award for Voluntary groups and in Golden Jubilee year were featured in the Queen’s Christmas broadcast. We are already making plans for next year, including an adventure holiday in the Lake District, water sports day, visits to theme parks, theatres and festivals and of course several trips to the Paralympics.

We are here because we feel young people should be involved in discussions and decisions affecting them. Our Phab club has worked in Epsom for 3 generations so far and we want to carry on into the future.

The leasehold of the Linton centre has assurances that if we cannot use the Linton Centre, the young people of Epsom would have a purpose built centre with all the facilities we need. If you sell the Leasehold you will leave us with nowhere to meet.

We want you to assure us that we can have a building that allows our club to carry on. What we already have at the Linton Centre and what we need the building to be:

• totally accessible
• very safe, particularly for members with learning difficulties so it cannot be shared with members of the public
• A variety of indoor spaces including a big sports hall
• A big area outside for inclusive sports and events
• In a good location in Epsom
• Affordable so that everyone can attend despite money issues

We understand that decisions have to be made with finance in mind, however we hope you can listen to our views and make a decision with Young people in mind

Zoe Giles, Epsom Phab

phab@phab.org

Cabinet Meeting at County Hall 20th December 2011

Statement made by Zoe Giles at the meeting.

Link to audio recording of statement

Link to web cam recording of statement.
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