Freedom Leisure has received official community recognition for its Friday Night Project (FNP) at K2 Crawley. The project which began in October 2009 has engaged with over 3,000 young people in the local area and has subsequently picked up an award for best “Innovative Youth Project” at the annual Crawley South West Youth Awards 2010 (CSWA). Freedom Leisure was presented with its first CSWA by Neighbourhood Youth Worker, Stephen Pearson, at a ceremony held at the Hawth Theatre on Wednesday 9 June.  

Left to right: Keith Wilson, Crystal Conroy and Dave Downey

Freedom Leisure’s FNP at K2 Crawley offers young people between the ages of 11-19 the chance to participate in activities including basketball, football, climbing, trampolining, streetdance, breakdance and boxercise. The sessions run from 8pm-10pm every Friday night and cost only £2 per person for the whole evening.

Dave Downey, Freedom Leisure’s Community Sport Development Officer at K2 Crawley, who devised the project, commented, “The K2 Crawley FNP has been a great success. Thanks to significant partnership funding from Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex Police and West Sussex Youth Service, Freedom Leisure has been able to open its doors to young people from all backgrounds. We have been able to respond to local needs by providing young people with very affordable and accessible activities.”

Crawley Police District Commander, Inspector Steve Curry said that the project “has made a significant contribution to enhancing community safety in Crawley”. Reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) on Friday evenings have fallen by 29% when comparing the four months before and four months after the project started.

Nigel Sheehan, Head of Community Services at Crawley Borough Council said, “ASB incidents on Friday evenings have traditionally been a real problem in Crawley. The K2 Crawley FNP has been a real success in providing constructive activities for young people and has made a measurable difference in reducing incidents of ASB. This programme is also helping to develop healthy and active lifestyles, thereby supporting our health and well being priority.”

The award is great recognition for Freedom Leisure, its partner agencies, staff, volunteers, young sports leaders and sports clubs who are involved in the planning and delivery of the Project. It’s a great example of how Freedom Leisure’s effective and innovative partnership work can make a real difference to young people and local communities.

To find out more about the K2 Crawley Friday Night Project, all the activities and future opportunities please call K2 Crawley on 01293 585 300 or visit www.freedom-leisure.co.uk  

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Media contacts:

Tanya Hillman or Kylie Rathbone at KBC PR on 01825 76 36 36 kylie.rathbone@kbc-pr.com

or Karen Burrell, Freedom Leisure’s Head of Sales & Marketing on 01825 747710 Karen.Burrell@freedom-leisure.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

Freedomleisure is a not for profit leisure trust managing 19 leisure and fitness centres across Sussex and Kent, including K2 Crawley, one of the country’s flag-ship leisure centres. From July 2009 new additions to the portfolio included Olympos leisure centres in Burgess Hill, East Grinstead and Haywards Heath, and entertainment venues Clair Hall and Martlets Hall.

Crawley South West Youth Awards are hosted by West Sussex County Council Youth Service. They are run annually and are designed to recognise and award young people’s achievements across the locality in Crawley which cover Broadfield, Tilgate and Furnace Green to which K2 is a part of. The award for most ‘Innovative Youth Project 2010’ is decided by the youth work team and local young people.