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Happy
10th Anniversary
(5
October 2008)
click
on photo for larger image
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This last week the Cookham Youth Project
celebrated its 10th Anniversary. On Monday 29 September the young people
had a celebration party and on Friday 3rd October there was a party for
the donors and all those who had helped over the last ten years.
For the young people's party there was
jelly made by Committee member John Mellor, pizzas and sausages made by
Kathy Rickman and a cake made by Waitrose.
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Both parties were held at Cookham Dean Cricket
Club, the party on the Friday was attended by those who had been involved
with the Youth Project over the last ten years with people who had either
helped or donated and in several cases done both. On eof the main
differences between the two parties was that the adult one had the bar open!
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Paul
Taylor barman, youth worker and ex Youth Club member
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Youth
Worker and Barmaid Tasha André
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Liz Kwantes, Chairman of the Management
Committee gave a short reminiscing talk on the achievements of the Youth
Project. The idea had emerged during Cookham Summer FM when young people
complained that there was nothing to do in Cookham. Kathy Rickman and Liz
Kwantes got together and the first Youth Club took place in April 1998
with Laura Pearce as Youth Leader.
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First
Youth Leader Laura Pearce Cuts the Cake
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Liz
went on to talk about the visit to France in 2001 where Cookham's twin
village challenged the Youth Club to canoeing, archery and absailing.
Although Cookham's young people had never done any of these things so some
hasty practise taught everyone how to hold a bow and how not to capsize.
However the French won hands down. The absailing was from a three hundred
foot bridge and the fear and achievement of actually doing htis is still
talked about by those who went to France. In 2002 the French teenagers
came to Cookham and did rather well at five a side football and hand
ball.
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Alan
Jay from Rotary one of the donors to the Youth Project
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In
2001 Steve Taylor, the Youth Leader, was voted Young Volunteer of the
Year, and in 2003 had an invitation to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham
Palace from the Lord High Sheriff of Berkshire. Also in 2003 the
Christmas card designed by one of the members of the Youth Club was chosen
as the Christmas card to be used by the Royal Borough. Then in 2005 the
Telegraph came to visit the Youth Club and it was included in an article
about Youth activities in UK with the photos all being of the Cookham
club.
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Youth
Leader Steve Taylor
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In
2005 Bob McLachlan who works for British Airways at Heathrow organised a
Flying Day at White Waltham airport where ten lucky young people actually
went up in two seater aricraft. Bob had brought his laptop along with
photos of the day. In addition the Youth Club has had Karaoke, quizzes,
cooking, cinema, swimming at Coral Reef, kayaking at Hurley, bowling,
glass decorating, circus skills, junior combat, street dance and many
other activities and also took part in Cookham Summer FM in 2006 which was
an hilariously funny if not rather chaotic programme.
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Bob
McLachlan with two PCSOs
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The
Flying Day
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In
2007 the Youth Project went camping near Amersham and enjoyed it so much
went to Henley in the summer of 2008 although both times the weather was
rather wet.
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The
evening was a good opportunity for everyone to put forward suggestions of
new ideas for the Youth Project over a glass of two of wine. If you want
to know more about the Cookham Youth Project click
here for their website
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