Sports pitch blows the whistle on anti-social behaviour

Date: 27th February 2008

A new mobile football pitch is helping to blow the whistle on anti-social behaviour.

The ‘Soccerena' pitch, being launched on Wednesday, is going to be taken out and about to different venues across Brighton & Hove.

The aim is to help to get more youngsters involved in sport and reduce the risk of them getting involved in anti-social behaviour.

The innovative project is being lead by Brighton & Hove's Children and Young People's Trust, in partnership with Brighton & Hove Albion, the Police and Fire Service.

The Soccerena fits together in jigsaw-like pieces to form an 18 metre by 12 metre sports pitch which can be used for five-a-side football, basketball, cricket, netball, tennis and badminton. On Friday and Saturday nights it will be taken to areas where there have been reports of anti-social behaviour to provide activities for youngsters, with youth workers organising informal games and matches. It will also be used at other venues, such as youth club.

At Wednesday's launch students from Falmer High School, who have successfully completed the sports coaching qualification through the project, tried out the new pitch, along with young people from the newly established Youth Sports Forum, Youth and Connexions Workers, Sussex Police, the Fire Service and representatives of Brighton and Hove Albion's Albion in the Community project.

Vanessa Brown, chairman of Brighton & Hove City Council's Children, Families and Schools committee, said: "The beauty of this mobile pitch is that it can be transported easily to different parts of the city, reaching youngsters who might not be using other sports facilities. In areas where they have been problems with youth disorder it will provide a practical and fun alternative to hanging about on street corners."

Chief Inspector Laurence Taylor of Brighton & Hove police said: "Providing opportunities such as this mobile football pitch is a great way of diverting young people from anti-social behaviour and disorder.

"By focusing the energy that young people have into something constructive is a very positive thing which is why I am so keen to support this project. Having my staff trained in the provision of this activity also provides an opportunity for crime prevention and safety messages to be given to those young people participating.

"By working together with the Children and Young People's Trust, as well as other service providers in the city, we can make a real difference to young people and encourage them to stay away from unlawful behaviour. Everybody has a role to play in this, including their parents, but providing good diversionary activities in the places where they are needed can make real inroads into improving everybody's quality of life."

If you have a local Brighton & Hove event or local Brighton & Hove news you wish to promote, please send the details via e-mail to brighton & hove@citylocal.co.uk

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