Maidenhead & Windsor

More than 25,000 teenagers in the Maidenhead Royal Borough voted with their trainers to make the 2006 six-week 13-19 summer activity programme the best yet.

The record attendance comes in the Maidenhead programme's third year, which built on the best of the previous two summers' activities with a range of new features to encourage more young people to take part. Attendance rose for the third year in succession, beating 22,688 in 2005 and 19,224 in 2004.

Cllr Richard Fagence, lead member for Maidenhead leisure and cultural services, said the summer programme had been a roaring success.

He said: "Every parent will agree that keeping teenagers occupied and happy during the six-week holiday can be an immense challenge but the borough's summer programme has proved a winner. It's also a well-known fact that helping young people channel their energies and interests into constructive physical activity plays a major part in the reduction of anti-social behaviour.

"We have had tremendously positive feedback from the young people who joined in and, very encouragingly, from their parents who said the range and frequency of activities were just what was needed. Thanks to generous sponsorship, the programme was expanded and improved this year and I have every confidence that, given continued support, we will be able to maintain this excellent provision in 2007."

Run by the council's leisure and youth services and based at 26 locations, the programme featured a parish tour covering five different parishes and was backed by sponsorship from Hutchinson 3G, the Michael Shanly Trust, the St Regis Paper Mill and parish councils (for the parish tour).

The programme's new features for 2006 included a number of residential trips, daily football and basketball sessions at new facilities in Desborough Park, Maidenhead, and Osgood Park, Windsor, and fishing training with the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

The third youth fishing competition was staged at St.Regis Paper Mill and other competitions were held at the skateparks at Maidenhead and Windsor, during the official opening of Osgood Park and at Bird's Hill golf centre.

The programme also included activity days at Broom Farm in Windsor, BodyZone gyms at Manor, Cox Green and Windsor youth centres, canoeing and kayaking on the Thames at Hurley, 50p swimming for all residents under 19, mobile skatepark at Maidenhead Pinkneys Green, reduced prices at the main leisure centres and the parish tour which visited Cookham, Horton, Eton Wick, Bray and Sunninghill. There was also an extensive programme at Norfolk House in conjunction with staff in education and social services

The summer activity programme report is on the agenda for next Thursday's cabinet meeting (September 21) when members will be asked to agree that certificates of thanks be awarded to the supporters and sponsors.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead