Focus on youth groups in town

Each month a Support4Shefford event takes place in the town, giving groups that support the public a chance to promote themselves.

And this month it will be showcasing the number of events that are out there to help keep youngsters entertained.

Organiser Paul Mackin explained: “A comment I often hear is about how ‘there is nothing for kids to do in 
Shefford’. I want to use this event to show members of the public just how much there is for our young people to do.”

Youth groups based in and around the town have been invited to come along and 
showcase their activities.

Opportunity4Youth will take place around the town centre, the grassed areas in front of and behind 
St Michael’s Church and Shefford House. The Rave Bus 
will be in the High Street, as will the Central Beds OSCAR display.

Information will be available on the Kids Run Free project, which organises monthly races for children aged up to 16. The initiative is being jointly supported by Shefford Town Council and Aragon Housing, and will be the first such event to be held in the area.

Paul added: “OSCAR will be used to promote road safety to young drivers throughout Central Bedfordshire and is kitted out with technology to simulate the experience of being in a car crash.

“To make the experience as realistic as possible the road safety team has created two short films; the first focusing on in-car distractions and the second, looking at tyre safety. The film is displayed on the front windscreen of the car, with the sound system, hydraulic suspension, smoke machine and light show all adding to the experience.

“While the message of driving safely and concentrating on the roads is for everyone, OSCAR is aimed primarily at 17 to 24 year olds, as 24 per cent of all road fatalities between 2010 and 2013 on 
Central Bedfordshire’s roads were in that age range.”

Opportunity4Youth starts at 9.30am and will run until noon.

The last Support4Shefford event focussed on the work of the emergency services and the civilian support groups that work alongside them.

For more information on Opportunity4Youth or the Support4Shefford project, contact Paul on 07807 219044.