Brynsiencyn Youth Shelter Success

Youngsters in an Anglesey village have a new place to meet thanks to assistance from North Wales Police and the Community Safety Partnership.

A specially designed youth shelter has been built in the village of Brynsiencyn – giving the local youngsters a safe place to meet.

Concerned with complaints from local teenagers that they had nowhere to go, coupled with worries that too many youngsters were congregating around the village, the local Neighbourhood Policing Team set about to tackle the problem.

£7,000 worth of grants was secured to set up the shelter after police worked hand in hand with the youths and other agencies. A £5,000 grant was given by the Safer Ynys Môn Community Safety Partnership and a further £2,000 was secured by the Police and Community Trust (PACT).

Local Community Beat Manager, PC Ron Owen said that residents had highlighted they felt there were no facilities for older youths in the village. He said: “At times residents said they felt intimidated by youngsters congregating around the village. So we spoke to some of the youths who confirmed that they had nowhere to go and meet up so we decided to do something about it.

“The shelter has been fully operational since the beginning of the summer holidays and it’s highly popular with the local youngsters. Since it has been there, calls regarding anti-social behaviour have reduced dramatically.”

One of the officers who was instrumental in obtaining the grants was Police Community Support Officer Eira Hughes, who has since joined the force as a regular constable.

PC Owen added: “Without Eira’s dedication and hard work the shelter would not have been possible and I’d like to offer my thanks, on behalf of the local youngsters and residents, to Eira for everything she did with this project.”

Even the local youngsters were involved with the scheme, as they helped to choose the design, location and colour of the equipment.

Volunteers from the community including local County Councillor Hywel Eifion Jones as well as officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team, helped to prepare the groundwork and local contractors assisted with the building work.

PC Owen said: “A big thanks should also be given to The Hogan Group, who kindly donated the concrete free of charge. This has been a real community effort which everybody should be proud of.”

Sioned Hughes from the local Community Council explained that the shelter was hugely popular with a wide-range of young people from the village. She said: “The youth shelter is great – it’s in an ideal place as it’s situated by the play park and the football field. It’s used by all ages – some go there just to have a talk with their friends and others go there if they are simply bored and just want somewhere to go.

“Local residents also think it’s great as hardly anybody congregates on the streets anymore as they fully utilise the shelter.” “It’s proved to be so popular that the youngsters are now asking for a second shelter for the village!”

If you would like to discuss any issues or concerns within your community, please contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team on 101 or 0845 607 1001 9Welsh line) or 0845 607 1002 (English line).

Contacts details for individual CBM’s or PCSO’s can also be obtained via the North Wales Police website – www.north-wales.police.uk

Photograph: PCSO Eira Hughes and Cllr Hywel Eifion Jones assisting with leveling the concrete.