Kerrang Rock Tour

SCAN award leads to Rock Concert

Following last year's Give + Get Back Rock School day at Woodbridge School , the Suffolk Coastal Arts Network (SCAN) awarded Just42 a small grant to take 3 of those who attended to the Kerrang Magazine Rock Tour at the University of East Anglia on January 31 st . The photo shows the group meeting with members of American bands Madina Lake and Circa Survive plus London based Fightstar, all of whom performed that night.

Holiday Club

New Holiday Club at Warwick Avenue

April 1 st saw a gang of young pirates step ashore at Warwick Avenue Church in Woodbridge searching for the Landlubbers Holiday Club. Children's work Manager Ruth Blunt, Pastor David and a large number of helpers all dressed in pirate's gear were there to welcome them and so begins another 4 days of fun for 4 -11 year olds as they explore a different world of imagination, games, quizzes and singing.

Each day starts at 10am and finishes just before mid-day; Landlubbers runs until 4 th April

Pimp my Scooter!

We have managed to bridge that generation gap with this outlandish project! The Crime & Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) kindly secured a brand new mobility scooter and gave it to the guys at OTS to ‘customise' for an outing with other youth groups at Rock Barracks Sutton Heath, which took place in the Easter holidays.

The idea was to have a race and win a prize for the best decorated scooter and afterwards, to donate it to a local good cause. Sadly, we didn't win but taking part was fun AND Charlie Berry was interviewed On Anglia TV! Just42 contacted the Orwell Housing Group who have a residential home (Deben View) close to their offices. Young people from OTS went to meet some of the residents to get some ideas and to invite them up to Rock Barracks on the day. Thanks are due to Nicki Pidd & Carolyn Swinney who arranged everything and to Luke Berry for masterminding it all on the day.

Volunteer News

George Butters was shortlisted as a Community Champion at the recent ‘oscar-style' awards ceremony for MV Suffolk Volunteer of the Year Awards 2007 at the St Nicholas Centre Ipswich.

This was in acknowledgement of achieving over 200 hours as a volunteer with Hasketon and Bredfield Youth clubs and for the work that he did in successfully applying for funding from the Youth Opportunity Fund for the Grundisburgh and Hasketon Summer Programme last year.

Staff News

Following Baz Wilkinson's departure to take up his new post of Area Co-Ordinator for Young Suffolk in Ipswich, we are delighted that Carolyn Swinney has returned from her travels in Asia with YWAM to assist in running his various clubs and activities until the end of the summer '08.

Her experiences in China and the Philippines have been amazing and this will be an opportunity for her to pass on some of these to the young people she is working with, while ensuring Baz's good work is continued in Hasketon, Grundisburgh and Bredfield until a replacement is found.

With over 25 enquiries for the job, interviews with 5 strong contenders who have been shortlisted take place this week and it is hoped that one of these will be appointed to the role of Youth Work Manager. 'We are thrilled with the response to our advertising' said Project Director Mike Simpson, one of the interview panel. 'It is encouraging to know that there is such a high level of interest from people wanting to get involved with youth-work in Suffolk'

African Adventure with Just42

If you attend any of the Just42 Clubs or activities and are aged between 11 -14, you will qualify to go to Sizewell Hall for a week-end adventure in the CYM African Village between 16 th  and 18 th May 2008.

The photo attached shows one of the 5 African style huts that have been built in the grounds of this cliff-top mansion, which enjoys direct access to the beach and sea. This will be an opportunity to experience life as if in the African continent – why is the village deserted? – why are there empty bullet cases lying all around? What happened to the United Nations land-rover that stands nearby? How do you get the village water supply to work? Try and help sort this out; take on new challenges such as archery and new games. Meet new friends. Make a camp fire at night and sing songs. Sleep rough in one of the huts and above all, have fun  - it could make a difference to your life!

Full details will be made available through our staff in the very near future, but get the date in your diary now! Space will be limited and many of our staff will be there to enjoy it too.

Staff News

We are very sorry to report that Baz Wilkinson , one of Just42's Youth Work Managers, has given notice of his intention to leave the company in the middle of March 2008. Baz has been with Just42 since October 2005 and has provided excellent service in his work with rural youth clubs; starting with JADS at Hasketon, Baz has been involved with starting up new clubs at both Grundisburgh and Bredfield, as well as being involved with a number of other projects funded through the Youth Opportunity Fund and a variety of other funders.

He leaves to take up the new post of Area Co-ordinator at Young Suffolk in Ipswich .

Project Director Mike Simpson said “ I and other members of staff, plus the Trustees will be very sorry to see Baz leave; he has been fun to work with and very efficient in all he has done; we wish him well in his new post and expect to be using his services and expertise in his support role with Young Suffolk”

The post of Youth Work Manager is being advertised shortly.
See our Vacancies page for more details.