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Reverend Martin Ceasar said he is we are saddened "by the fact that the young people’s perception of Crowthorne life is that they are a nuisance and not wanted."
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HopeZone to withdraw plans to build youth centre

By Becky Barnes
September 25, 2012

Plans for a youth centre in Crowthorne that were met with resistance will be withdrawn this week.

Crowthorne HopeZone re-submitted an application to build a temporary building on the Morgan Recreation Ground in July but announced today they would be looking for another premises.

Reverend Martin Ceaser, chair of Crowthorne HopeZone, said: "In the light of recent developments, conversations with residents, and in the light of some (rather extreme) comments published in the local press, we have taken the decision to withdraw our application for a temporary building on the Morgan Recreation Ground.

"This in no way signals the end of HopeZone as there is still a chronic shortage of meaningful provision for young people in our village - however we have come to the conclusion that if the development were to go ahead, any behaviour deemed to be unsatisfactory on the recreation ground would immediately be blamed on HopeZone, and the young people, which would reinforce their feeling of alienation rather than reduce it as we aim to do.

"Therefore we will continue to operate out of Crowthorne Baptist Church for the foreseeable future, and continue our search for a suitable premises that the youngsters can call their own. "Many of those who have opposed the site have also expressed support for what we are trying to do, and we are grateful for that.

"However, we are saddened by the fact that the young people’s perception of Crowthorne life is that they are a nuisance and not wanted.

"HopeZone, and its community partners, has always maintained that if we provide a positive example and support for our young people they will be less likely to be in a position to 'cause trouble'. "As the old saying goes, it’s much better to have a fence at the top of a cliff than an ambulance at the bottom.

"HopeZone values Young People and seeks to model that to them, and would like to encourage all members of the community to work together for the good of the village."

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Withdrawn now. Hallelujah!

Timothy Jefferies
06/10/2012 at 20:24

Hopezone has NOT withdrawn this application, even though the stated intention was to do so. Hopezone has refused point blank the generous offer of a trial run by Crowthorne Parish Council to hold the 'drop in' at the Morgan Centre. It seems that the 'community working together' ethos does not extend outside the doors of the meetings, held in secret at the Church. Publish your meeting minutes Churches together in Crowthorne and Hopezone, and permit the public to attend, so we can all see the reality of what your agenda really is!

Timothy Jefferies
03/10/2012 at 12:10

Many thanks for your point of view 'Star Lady', much appreciated. I fully agree that Youth Provision is vitaly important, I have benefitted from the same in Crowthorne and Reading and Wokingham, and for your information all Christian run and owned facilities. However, it is known that our Young People (because I have talked to ~30 of them in my capacity as a Youth Worker) actually want the Baptist Church to be "the place that they can call their own"! nowhere else, and quite simply the Church is not providing for them in their new Building plans! The 'other things' that you speak of are insignificant as there is nothing occurring there on the four hours on a Wednesday after School that it is actually used for. It is my opinion that, in your words, 'the small few who give others a bad name' have more requirements for inclusion and this is why Hopezone should employ a professional youth worker to ease their transition into adulthood. They have a lot to give, and they need a chance to give it, in a safe environment, with proper education concerning the Youth Curriculum.You have to agree that to put yourself in opposition with the community instead of working with the community does not serve our Young People well... I suggest to look at what God has put on the hearts of his people and move with that in his blessing. I remind you, as I have been told by members and leaders of the Church, that they have been praying for Young people to come into their Church for nigh on 20 years, and now they want to get rid'....this reminds me of Jonah/Ninevah!

Timothy Jefferies
30/09/2012 at 08:35

I think what HopeZone are doing is great, I grew up in the area and because it's between councils I felt that as youth we were missed and were not provided with anything. Therefore having to go to either Wokingham or Bracknell which was fine as I was able to get there but this is not the case for most of the youth in Crowthorne so the only place out of the house to hang out is the rec, HopeZone has been up and running for many years and has provided somewhere for the youth to hang out, however one thing that youth want from a youth club is somewhere that they are able to call their own, this is not possible in a building that is also used for other things. If HopeZone was set up by a non-christen charity would you still have the same view? Youth are the face of the future, so shouldn't we support them, most of youth do the right thing and aren’t a problem, but there a small few who are giving the others a bad name, we should not stereotype all youth on this small number. If you think about it we could say the same about adult how would you like that? Well that’s how I feel.

Star lady
29/09/2012 at 17:06

A Previous comment by Ceaser (http://www.getbracknell.co.uk/news/s/2118597_new_hopezone_plan_sparks_antisocial_behaviour_fear) was "HopeZone will abide by whatever decision is returned by Bracknell Forest Council", quite arrogantly ignoring Crowthorne Parish Council who Clearly stated that that there was ‘sufficient concern’ that the proposal had the ‘potential risk of undermining all the good work that has been achieved in mitigating anti-social behaviour’.

In re-submitting the NOT YET WITHDRAWN application it seems that the "Chair of Hopezone" is sticking two fingers up yet again to the Council, the Police and the Residents.

Poor form.

Timothy Jefferies
27/09/2012 at 10:29

Luke Vibert - Arcade Acid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxKTV83meYo&list=UUfFYMePZAQ-xjEtzPppOpVw&index=27&feature=plcp

Stinkin'

Winstanley, Bracknell
26/09/2012 at 16:18

Possibly an insufficient level of Party there Win...I'm currently gurning like a mungler to Wickaman, Hoodlum & Mavrik - One Scratch.

Gnarly.

Timothy Jefferies
26/09/2012 at 15:25

Unfortunately not Tim - just the middle aged singing harpy.

This abiding quote comes from his lordship Sir Terry Pratchett: "I'll be more enthusiastic about encouraging thinking outside the box when there's evidence of any thinking going on inside it."

Anyway, back to my DJ Kicks CD by Nightmares On Wax.

Phat

Winstanley, Bracknell
26/09/2012 at 12:06

Incidentally, the old saying "...it’s much better to have a fence at the top of a cliff than an ambulance at the bottom." was offered by Truby King with reference to infant mortality prevention. Not a great choice of quote by Ceaser and one that bolsters my point of his typical "I'm a Church Leader not people Server" Overreactions. This is simply a small Youth Club in a small Village, nothing more. Wake up O Sleeper.

Timothy Jefferies
26/09/2012 at 11:27

What...THE Maddonna Win? :)

Timothy Jefferies
26/09/2012 at 11:02

Hear hear Tim. Personally I lean toward the Humanist position in life - but as Madonna is reported as saying this morning "A good man is a good man, whoever he prays to".

There's too much hate and division in this world, but we are all humans trying to get along and do our best. If we recognised we had more in common than whatever differences and foibles separate us then we would be providing the best lesson to our children.

Winstanley, Bracknell
26/09/2012 at 10:54

Nice one Bruce... :) although I do remember with great fondness those good people from Church who 'wasted their time' on me when I was a 'challenging' Young Person growing up. There was a difference then, one of belief that God was already working in peoples lives and that we were simply called to serve Him by serving them, as ambassadors of Christ. Whatever flavour of faith you profess, even if none, we have a responsibility to love people and to demonstrate that love with actions and therefore representing our faith well. Name calling and blaming people when we do not get our way serves for nothing else but poor form and leaves a nasty taste in everyones mouth.

Timothy Jefferies
26/09/2012 at 10:12

Don't waste your time trying to appeal to the Crowthorne chavs. Oh wait you've devoted your life to a fictional character from a book, you're clearly ok with time wasting... As you were then