Whenever I walk round Consett South one of the main things that repeatedly jumps out at me is the lack of facilities for young people and children. No exciting play parks, no attractive community spaces for them to enjoy and no activity programmes to keep them occupied. When did it become acceptable for the children of Consett South to be forgotten by their ward Councillor when it comes to spending their neighbourhood budget?
What if we could give young people something to work on that would give them a real sense of pride and feel that they’ve done something positive for where they live? What if we could give them a feeling of responsibility for the upkeep of the area they live in, which would hopefully in time lead to less vandalism or antisocial behaviour? I envisage community allotments and flower beds being a great way to do this, we could show children how to grow their own food and eventually take it home to use as ingredients in family meals, they could plant and grow flowers in flower beds around the ward to make it beautiful all year round. We know that the mental health of children and young people has been hugely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, being out in the fresh air with their friends, working on something that they’re responsible for and watching it bloom in front of their eyes would be deeply rewarding.
Our children shouldn’t be sitting on street corners or hanging around in bus shelters, because we know when this happens residents see them as a nuisance and that isn’t always the case. The fact they’ve been deprived of simple activities and chances to entertain and develop themselves is not
their fault – a vote for me on May 6th will mean the children and young people of Consett South have a strong voice on Durham County Council and I give you my word I’ll constantly push for more funding and better facilities for them all.
Vote Labour. Vote Mark Appleby
This content was supplied by Emma Heenan : North West Durham Labour Election Agent
You can visit Mark’s Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/MarkForConsettSouth
