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The News Shopper has run a report of a fracas outside
the Rockbourne Youth Centre last week (12/05/05):
"A witness reported seeing 150 young people rioting,
leaving residents petrified. It's mayhem when they leave the centre at 9pm. I
think it's because of the sheer mass of young adults."
Lewisham Police confirmed: ""We were called at 8.54pm
on Thursday by a youth worker to what seemed to be a large fight involving 40
youths, allegedly armed with shovels and snooker queues."
Lewisham Council commented "We are fully aware of the
incident involving Rockbourne Youth Centre on Thursday 12 May. We take such
reports very seriously and are working with the police and others to
investigate this matter. This is a highly respected community based service and
the welfare of young people and local residents remains our primary concern."
COMMENT: A news story, a sad story, and maybe not the
full story. Lewisham Youth Service runs many different clubs around the
borough. Anybody who has been part of it will know of brilliant dedicated work
which has changed lives for the better. But taking challenging kids off the
street doesn't automatically make them any better in a club. It can concentrate
problems and it can quickly go pear shaped.
What do we want to happen now?
Closing the club and leaving the kids out on the street
would not appear to be a winner. Giving the club a bad name is no help either.
We hear that "staff meetings" are addressing the issue. We trust that Lewisham
will do what is necessary to calm the situation. For our part we shall not pass
judgement but wait watch and hope to report some good news soon. If anybody
from the road or club would like to comment - please use the form below or post
in the <Forum>
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BS comments:
I spent many evenings in Rockbourne
youth club during the early nineties, even then we often had problems, but
without the chance to go there we usually spent our time vandalising property
around SE23. Please don't consider closing this place, where do you think the
kids will go....? Outside your house maybe. If anything, it should be open more
often.
MM comments:
I witnessed the whole thing from my
sitting room window and I thought it was hilarious!! It looked like something
from a cartoon with all the people running up and down the street with snooker
cues. It was an interesting walk to the station the next day, avoiding the bits
of broken cue and shovel! |
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Rockbourne Road SE23 is a quiet cul de sac and part of
the 'Maplins Triangle' between Stanstead Road & Waldram Park
Road
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