MAYOR’S – YOUNG PEOPLE INITIATIVE

THE INITIAL GATHERING

In September 2022 I invited a diverse range of people and organisations to a gathering in Bridport Town Hall to explore how best to celebrate, provide opportunities, and give a voice to the young people of Bridport. A number of interesting ideas have emerged from that initial gathering and some are already moving towards becoming a reality.

The most significant of these is the Bridport Young Peoples Fringe (BYPF). The concept behind BYPF is simply to have a young people’s fringe event linked to every one of the festivals that currently take place in Bridport. BYPF will give young people the opportunity to create, curate, and perform across a wide range of media and bring their work to a real, wider audience.

But that is just the first step.

THE FOLLOW UP GATHERING

The intention of this second, yet to be scheduled, gathering is to bring together the young people themselves, along with representation from organisations within Bridport whose activities involve interaction with the children and young people of the town.

The ultimate aim is to make Bridport a Young Person friendly town and to increase the fitness level and holistic well-being amongst young people and their families.

To achieve this, we need to listen to what the young people themselves actually want for the town, and what facilities and opportunities they would welcome. After all, the future belongs to them.

BRIDPORT YOUNG PEOPLE’S FRINGE (BYPF)

The first BYPF event takes place on Saturday 21 January at Bridport Arts Centre as part of the ‘Celebrating Dance on Film’ day.

Dancer (2016) (12)

WARM HUBS – UPDATE

Warm Hubs are places within the local community where people of all ages can be assured of finding a warm and friendly environment in which to enjoy refreshments, social activity and the company of other people.

In response to the economically challenging winter we are living through, various groups in Bridport are inviting local people to come and spend time in warm community spaces.

As I found out on a rcent visit a warm welcome, free hot and cold refreshments, plus a range of games, newspapers, craft activities and Wi-Fi await you at the following Warm Hub spaces:

Monday

10.00 – 5.30 – Bridport Library, South Street.

Tuesday

9.30 – 12.30 – Bridport Library, South Street.

10.00 – 1.00 – Bridport Youth and Community Centre, Gundry Lane.

12.30 – 2.00 – Catholic Church, Victoria Grove. No charge lunch.

Wednesday

9.30 – 6.30 – Bridport Library, South Street.

10.00 – 12.00. Cafe at Chapel in the Garden, East Street,

10.00 – 4.00 – Bridport United Church, East Street.

10.00 – 2.00. Community Kitchen at the Beacon Church, Priory Lane. No charge cafe and lunch.

Thursday

11.00 – 2.00 – Chapel in the Garden, Rax Lane (entrance via the alleyway opposite The Tiger Inn on Barrack St)

11.00 – 2.00 – Beacon Church, Priory Lane

Friday

9.30 – 6.30 – Bridport Library, South Street. Plus a coffee and chat session 10.00 – 12.00
10.00 – 2.00. Community Kitchen at the Beacon Church, Priory Lane. No charge cafe and lunch.

Saturday

10.00 – 12.00 -Bridport Christian Fellowship, 4 Kings Square, East Street. No charge coffee and cake morning.

11.00 – 5.00 (starting 21st January) – St Swithun’s Church Hall, North Allington,
Family friendly cafe with hot drinks, lunches, games and children’s activities.

To keep other users as safe as is possible, please do not attend these sessions if you have, or suspect you are brewing an infectious illness such as flu or Covid.

FOOD AND CLOTHING SUPPORT

Cupboard Love Foodbank – St Marys Church, South Street.

Wednesdays 11.00 -1.00pm – to collect food (referral system in place but you can collect without referral on the first occasion). Food can also be donated 9.00 – 1.00pm. Also available during the session is the cafe, and support and advice from Citizens Advice on a wide range of issues.

A second Cupboard Love session starting on 30th January at Bridport Youth and Community Centre on Mondays between 4.00 – 7.00pm.

Bridport Community Fridge – Chapel in the Garden, East Street.

Tuesday and Saturday 10.00 – 12.00am. Food that would otherwise be thrown away, is available free to anyone to collect.

Food Glut Stall – St Swithun’s Church, North Allington.

Thursday 9.30 – 11.00am. A stall with food from shops, individuals and growers that would otherwise go to waste, is available free to anyone to collect.

Bridport Clothes Bank – Rails of clothes available during:

Cupboard Love Foodbank at St Marys Church,
Chapel in the Garden (open when Chapel open and restocked Tuesdays 10.00 – 11.00am)
St Swithun’s Church Hall (open when Church Hall open and restocked during the Food Glut stall Thursdays 9.30-11).
Unit 3, The White Hart Yard, Beaminster DT8 3AE (opening hours posted on Bridport Clothes Bank Facebook page).

Beacon Church – offers rough sleepers the chance to have a shower and get clothes washed. Their Community Kitchen is not just for rough sleepers though, many people go to the cafe for delicious home cooked lunches.

BUSINESS FOCUS

BRIDPORT BUSINESS CHAMBER & BRIDPORT JOB CENTRE – Drop in Information Sessions

Bridport Business Chamber and the Job Centre are looking to help local businesses employ the right staff at the right time. Employing a local person has a positive knock-on effect through the whole region’s economy and there is national and regional funding available to help.

 

 

 

The first session is on Tuesday 7th February at the Bridport Job Centre from 5pm to 6pm.

The knowledgeable staff will be on hand to advise on topics such as:

• Access to Work
• Apprenticeships/traineeships (which are now available to people of all ages!)
• Support for Employers
• Work experience
• Disability Confidence

and there will be a Q and A session covering anything not already covered.

This is a real opportunity for local businesses to get the help and support they need to make a real difference to the life of a local person and their family and develop your staff in the best way for your business.

But as this is the first session, places are limited to 20, so please book your place by January 27th if you would like to come along by clicking info@bridportbusiness.org.uk.

And please, spread the word – they hope to run these sessions regularly and would like to involve all local businesses, not just Chamber members.

CONNECT BRIDPORT

Connect Bridport is celebrating its first birthday. They host bi-monthly networking events with the aim of bringing mainly business men and women together. It has already proved to be a great way to mingle, get to know more local business people and even create some great friendships along the way. On top of that at each meeting you have the chance to learn from very experienced speakers at each meeting.

Connect Bridport is an informal network group. They meet bi-monthly and love to welcome new people. The meetings give local business people a chance to socialise and build local business networks. At every meeting there are usually 2 guest speakers, and buffet style food.

 

 

AND FINALLY – LITTER BLIGHTING OUR STREETS

Walking into town from my home in Crock Lane along Asker Mead and East Street the other day I was amazed and appalled by the amount of litter, and this at a time of year when the people who usually get the blame, our visitors, are notable by their absence.

Take look at the images below and it is clear that Bridport’s Litter Free Street Champions have much work to do to clear up the litter, thoughtlessly deposited, on the streets of our beautiful town by what must be in the main our fellow citizens.

Litter is not only unsightly and unhygienic it has a detrimental effect on the the environment, and wildlife. Click mayor@bridport-tc.gov.uk to send me your thoughts and sugestions as to how we can tackle this ongoing issue together and KEEP BRIDPORT TIDY.