“Local communities know best what needs to happen to improve their lives and areas,” said Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed MP, during a whistle-stop tour of inspiring Ramsgate community projects today (June 24).
The MP for Streatham and Croydon North visited The Hive – a bespoke social, training, recreation and learning centre for young people and adults with special needs and/or disabilities based at the rear of Foreland Fields School; Newington Community Centre which has undergone a transformation through a government Levelling Up grant, and Pie Factory Music in St Lawrence whose young people saved it from being sold at auction.
All projects have received some government support either through Pride in Place or Ramsgate’s Levelling Up fund.
Mr Reed was joined by East Thanet MP Polly Billington, Thanet council leader Rick Everitt and Pride in Place board chairperson Bernie Morgan.
The most significant Pride in Place funding was received by Pie Factory Music to secure the freehold of their home of 13 years – ensuring its future as a youth centre for generations to come.
The purchase was made possible with a capital grant of £535k from the national Pride in Place programme, agreed by the Ramsgate Neighbourhood Board and paid in advance by Thanet District Council ahead of the official programme launch.
Young people at youth centre had carried out a sustained 16-month campaign to save the building after then-owner Kent County Council decided to sell the site at auction.
Mr Reed met young people Jacob, Austin and Molly (pictured above), Pie CEO Zoë Carassik and staff Caroline, Andre and Kirsty and heard about the campaign to save the site and the impact having a safe space has for youngsters.
Zoe also spoke about the impressive grassroots organisations in Thanet that have come together as a network to support the isle’s youngsters and of opening up Pie HQ for other organisations, such as Margate Pride, to hold sessions with youngsters.
Jacob told the Minister: “Pie is very important. I had anxiety but coming here has given me confidence.”
And, proving his point, Jacob gave an impromptu drumming performance during a tour of the building.
Molly revealed she now volunteers at Pie after attending for the last four years and Austin said he travelled from Littlebourne to attend sessions, where he has learnt to master an amazing number of instruments. The three also spoke of the centre winning the SMK National Young Campaigner Award for the work to save Pie.
Mr Reed spoke of the value of the community “coming together to take action for change.
He added: “This youth centre is really important, not just to build young people’s confidence but also to give them skills for life, for work, or to make life richer. It helps tackle some of the problems young people face in their lives through access to information, such as sexual health education, but is getting young people involved to shape the way they receive that information rather than an adult just telling them what they should have.
“I am impressed by the young people (at Pie). So often when we read about young people it is something negative whereas in the real world young people are full of ambition, hope and talent and they need support to make the most of that, Pie Factory Music centre exists to enable that to happen. It was tragic that it was facing closure and so exciting that the people involved used Pride in Place funding to help save it for the next generation.”
Mr Reed said he had also been impressed by the work carried out at Newington Community Centre and the brilliant facilities achieved through fundraising for the SEN community at The Hive.
Polly Billington said: “It’s important that the people who make decisions in Westminster know what the reality is on the ground, not only the challenges but also the opportunities on offer. Pie Factory Music is a really good example of that.”
She added that the successful campaign against KCC’s decision to sell the centre at auction, alongside government funding granted through the Pride in Place board and Thanet council, “means that the district’s only dedicated youth centre will continue to produce brilliant young people committed to making a difference in the community and committed to making the most of their own talents.”
Zoe added: “I think (the visit) is amazing and could not come at a better time, we have a really good story about the youth centre and a really good story about the fundraising and funders who saw value in the work we are doing and the council which saw value in the centre and facilities and worked to make the Pride in Pace grant happen.
“The most important element was the joy and positive vibe from the young people involved in the campaign. It was uplifting and hopeful and they talked about what really matters to them.”
The final word goes to Jacob, who said of the visit: “The attention for the youth club is great. It means more eyes on the club and more people can see how much (Pie) has helped the young people and hopefully that will lead to more youth clubs opening across the UK.”
a politician visiting Ramsgate , is there an election coming up ?
Does Rick Everitt ever smile?
Would you when trying to run TDC? And yes he does smile especially if Charlton wins.
TDC are such a joke, I’d be in hysterics!
Polly’s focus now appears to be on Ramsgate, having lost much of the support she once had in Margate. Many of the people who previously backed her have since distanced themselves from both her and the Labour Party in Thanet.
It’s also noticeable that she rarely brings people to projects in Margate, perhaps because there are very few community organisations there that would now publicly support either her or the current Labour administration at Thanet District Council.
There is, unfortunately, a significant breakdown in relationships between many local community organisations and the Labour-led cabinet at TDC, and that has become increasingly apparent over recent years.
Although not mentioned on here (yet), Steve Reed said something rather significant on his visit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn8k2n500zeo