News

On 25 July 2010, Thorne Rd Project hosted a formal opening Kelvedon Youth Forum with a day ball games area including come and try netball and basketball demonstrations.

This took place at Kelvedon Play Area as part of London 2012 Open Weekend and the Essex Rural Community Fund.

Since its beginning some five years ago, the Forum (open to young people who live in Kelvedon, from School Year 6 up to Voting Age) has been looking at village facilities and raising money for improvements.

Early projects included a range of challenging activity equipment for teenagers at Kelvedon Playing Field and regular monthly Discos for young people,
Over the last two years the Forum , in conjunction with local residents, investigated the lay-out for new play and games equipment at Thorne Road, Kelvedon which, thanks to a generous grant from the Greenfields Housing Association, was installed in early Summer 2010. At the same time, Forum members had been discussing opportunities for sporting activity for young
people in the village and, recognising the excellent football and cricket coaching available locally, wondered whether Netball should be explored. Within a short time, four volunteers had come forward from Kelvedon Ladies Netball Team and potential members were eagerly signing up to take part in a new Netball Skills Group. The Forum agreed that an event promoting its two most recent projects should be submitted to the Essex County Council for assistance and members were delighted to learn that their bid had been successful.  Invitations were sent out, a display set up at the Kelvedon Free Music Festival and a very special cake was ordered - and so, on Sunday 25 July, a wonderful crowd of 60 or so residents and young people gathered on the Thorne Road Play Area to celebrate the Official Opening of the new equipment, enjoy the cake, watch a demonstration of netball skills by members of the new group (already 20 strong) and, in some cases at least, Have-a-Go at evading Goal Defence and trying to Score a Goal!

Thanks to the fund, the forum's new Netball Skills Group no longer has to borrow equipment but is able to buy its own bibs, balls and training gear and members can continue to meet on Wednesdays from 7 - 8pm in term
Time at Kelvedon Playing Field where the Group is always happy to welcome new members.