Teens in Abram

Tonight I popped to a pals house just down the road from me, near where the bus stop is by the Dover Lock.They are bothered most nights by a large group of teens who hang around there. Regularly having their car alarms set off by teens throwing stones or apples at them. Tonight we parked our car there, before long they again started the throwing, we went out and had a word which was met by the usual attitude from teens.
This got me thinking back to my teen days, I wasn't far removed from todays teens, I used to hang around with my pals around corners, the chippys, the shop. I wasn't as forward, was too terrified of the consequences if my parents found out I was 'giving me lip ' to another adult.
But here in Abram theres no where for these teens to go.Nothing for them to do at all, if they hang around they aren't welcome due to their noise, and antics.They have little say in what goes on locally, are very intimidating to the older folk who avoid them, they basically have little to encourage them to behave differently to how they do.
Is anyone else here from Abram? If so have you any suggestions on whether something can be sorted for these kids? I am new to the area myself, so don't know whats available locally, nor do I know if anything has been tried and tested before, e.g. a games night or disco each week.There are 2 pubs, a labour club that I can see, whats the possibility of these offering a room occasionally to get something started for them?
The kids I saw tonight were certainly lippy,but they were also bored.I could sympathise with them.In my teen years we lived for the kids disco at the Drum and Monkey each week, it meant we had something to look forward to, we were made welcome by the commitee, and they listened to us really well.It was somewhere we got dressed up to go to,and as teens we had plenty of pocket money to spend at the bar on soft drinks and crisp. So many clubs and pubs have a function room, they make no money if they are empty during the week, and lets face it kids now have a lot more pocket money to fritter away.
Any suggestions folks?

I feel sorry for the young ones of Abram they really dont have any facilities. Most areas in Wigan are just the same.Money is not going to the right causes.It is so annoying when our ' ever so caring councillors' award themselves a bumper payrise.

Your not alone - this problem is rife around the Borough. There are very few youth clubs now and to access sports facilities at Robin Park is beyond many children's pocket, not to mention the cost/time of getting there. This issue desperately needs addressing and money providing to those people who generously give freely of their time to provide things for the children to do, eg football clubs, morris dancers etc. Sadly it appears that this is low on the Council's agenda!

the BIG problem is the right people to do these jobs...i live in plattbridge and i have tried everything to get things for kids of all ages...the council do have a lot to answer for but, in todays society, i couldnt just hire the local labour club and have a disco once a week...i'd need council approvement, i'd need special training from social services, i'd need the right quota of 'also trained' adults to the number of kids showing up. when i was a teenager growing up in shevington there was a youthclub with just two adults....it cant be like that now...all health and safety, insurance and all that. ive enquired about doing the stuff needed, but the council used to do that but found they trained people like me up for the job, to only be left in the lurch when the persons n.v.q came through because they were qualified to get a proper job, so some people did!...and parents themselves have a lot to answer to, i have begged the council for a decents play park on our estate, and was told if i could get enough people behind me they could apply for government money, so i went door to door, only to have parents moaning there would be noise, litter and drunken teenagers!!...the main problem is there is NO community spirit anymore, parents just want their kids out of the house and dont care what they are upto aslong as they are not in messing the house up.

I agree with you Mary, too much red tape now and too many regulations.I am already CRB checked and have the NVQ , my kids are young not teens but I would give it a go, cos in a few years that could be my kids sat on the corner in all weathers.The police are called out regular to these kids, a waste of resources, they need to involve the kids in setting something up, keeping them on their toes mainting it, kids won't respect an area in they aren't involved in keeping it good.

the problem is just not local its everywhere,,im a ex wiganer myself ..i see it everyday kids havin nothing to do ..all they do is gather around in groups and drink alchol..but saying that they have more things 2day than when i was younger.we didnt have mob phones pc,s playstations ..i sound ancient dont i .but when i was younger you would find other things to amuse you

When i was a teen i used to walk around the sreets with my mates with our ever so cool ghetto blaster lol, no mobile phones or playstations, etc. I did have the odd swig of strongbow cider. But i will tell you something i dared not do anything like kids of today do, i would have been up for the high jump with my parents, i was too scared to be a rebel.

i was a rebel and in shevington that was NOT the thing to do...i was on cider and drugs and upto allsorts! didnt go robbin or owt like that tho, and then i was put in care at 13...hard place to be but it also taught me how to respect other people, if i hadnt been put in care id probably be dead now thru using smack or sommat!! but alas they dont put naughty kids in care anymore, they expect parents to look out for their kids...fair enough but what if they have a mum like mine? a parent not giving a jot what their kids are upto? empress your kids goto same as mine abran bryn gates...im crb, checked why dont we ask MR Sheeky if we could hire the school once in a while? (im the one who cycles to school with my two girls)

Hiya I know who you are Neverstill, I'm game to try something if you are. I hate anyone giving up on our teens, these kids are the next generation.Our kids won't be far behind them either.

Apparently there are youth workers in Abram who seem to centered around Abram park - not much use to the residents of Dover Lock though.

I agree that there is far too much red tape to encourage volunteers to assist, it is no longer merely a case of turning up for a day/night of volunteering - there are often numerous and lengthy forms to complete in order to obtain grant funding which can take up a great deal of time and effort as well.

My advice would be to keep pesting your local Councillor - as that's what they're paid for!

springviewer do you know any of the fishwicks

Hi Fishy 123

The name rings a bell but I can't put a face to the name. Probably do though if they live in Spring View as its not that big.

all last year i was meeting with concillors, leisure reps from council...mainly about the estate i live on....the councillor and the local council where behind me, they were willing to help me set up a group to take our case to the right people higher up...the problem i had was the resident them selves...parents who i talked to just bi**hed about the other kids, the point i could NOT get across to all my neighbours was ALL our kids have a right to play in safe area and its ALL our kids that get up to no good when they got nothing to do!...but alas i cant make people think the way i do, and i cant force anyone to stand up for themselves....i have a climbing frame, swing and slides in my back garden and most of the kids on the estate play in my back garden....i buy boxes upon boxes of ice creams and lollies for them all, my house is like wackey ware house most days.....maybe thats the problem all their kids are my garden so why should they need a park! lol

empress, im up for it!! ive sort of trained as a mentor for teenagers, but had to give it up cos of work commitments (you have to be VERY flexible)...and at the mo im working nights so i can only do things sun-mon and tues.....c u at school...not long now (and ive still not got all the uniform sorted lol)

I was born and bred In Abram ,join the Merchant navy at the age of 16,anything to get away from Abram.I finaly settled In Australia In 1950 ,the best thing I ever did.Instead of whinging about Abram get out and see what the real worlds like.I never saw any future In Abram at any time In my life their.I visited In 2005 and It has never changed since I was born (1930).I found It as the most depressing place In the world and I have visited many parts of the world.I would live anywhere but Abram.It has no community spirit at all,and lacks drive, you need to get people with a bit of forsight on you council or better still move out of the dump,you'll live longer and be happier .I realise change takes courage,give It a go.Ken Campbell

I must admit Abram really has been given the s****y end of the stick regarding services and facilities. I moan about where we live but i can not blame Abram residents for feeling fed up and let down.

Ken....I've only just moved to Abram!! Now your telling me to leave
Its true Abram has little to offer the teens here, in fact it has NOTHING to offer them apart from the odd ASBO thrown around.
However I have found that there is a great deal of community spirit here, but mainly through the old folk.I have fantastic neighbours, they are a joy to be around. They are also a generation or 2 in front of me.I live on Warrington road,there aren't many shops etc here now, most are houses.....like mine , it was a shop till we bought it and made it into a house.
But its not as you apint it, it still has a village feel to it, we've found most people are friendly, the odd nutter thrown in though same as anywhere else.There are a lot of people moving in who aren't from Abram, because house prices are still pretty good here, plus you have the 2 new estates being built now...........one is for the rich lol!
We have beautiful countryside around us, lots of barges coming through the Dover lock end, which the kids like,a fantastic stables and riding school, its rich with history too.We have good schools locally.....Bonus!I moved away from Wigan Borough for 16 years, but its nice to be home again.
We do have a problem with the teens,they just need something to do and somewhere to go instead of being moved up and down the street all evening.
They are too young to go to the pub, and too old for the play areas , it can't be too much to ask for a place to be made available for these kids.Platt Bridge has The Rock, and its used a lot.Like a giant cage with sports facilities and somewhere to sit and hang around.The police have got to know the kids who use it, and thats half the battle. Its stops the 'them and us' mentality and a bit of mutual respect builds up.
Its wonderful having the regeneration of our areas, but what use are mosaics, statues, flower baskets etc?They look pretty but no one really gets any benefit from them.

Empress, I seem to know where you live ,you would be on the right side going towards Golbourne.My brother Colin(deceased) use to live opposite a fish and chip shop,In Warrington Rd.I use to live In May Ave you could be near Kingsdown Rd.If you like where you live who cares what anybody else thinks.Home his where the heart his,It just did'nt suite me after I worked on a ship on the Australian coast.You can always get In touch via email kencampbell212@hotmail.com Thanks for your reply

Yeps thats us Ken. We moved here in December, caused a bit of a stir with folks wondering what we were going to do with this place.Think we disapointed a few when we turned it into a house.Few builders wanted to to make it into bedsits!!But the fantastic seller refused their offers and sold it to us! Star Man!If you have messenger I have added you to it.