Uganda Project Volunteers Presented witth Youth Community Award

Young people from the Square Youth Café are delighted to have received this year’s John Britton Award for Service to the Community, at a special presentation event held at the Ropemaker Centre on Saturday [10 December].

At the presentation, an audio-visual slideshow was played to the Mayor of Hailsham, town councillors and members of the public by young people who spoke about their recent visit to the isolated village of Kabubbu in Uganda to help with various agricultural and development projects, helping families within the community.

The group of young people was subsequently awarded jointly with an inscribed silver cup (to be on display at Hailsham Community College), and individually with inscribed key rings.

These were presented by Town Mayor Councillor Nigel Coltman and and Elliot Curryer, grandson of the late John Britton. John was Hailsham & District Youth Leader from 1970 to 1987 and much loved in the local community. Also present were John’s wife Ruth and their daughter Lorraine Curryer.

Councillor Coltman said that receiving this prestigious accolade is a great honour and one the young people from the Square Youth Cafe richly deserve: “Today, there are many different activities going on in Hailsham for young people to get involved in. It takes a skilled and genuine person to have the impact on young people that John Britton did.”

“The fact that this award is being offered gives us a brilliant opportunity to recognise that young people do a lot of positive things with their lives. These 13 youngsters genuinely care about making a difference in the lives of others not only in the local community, but abroad too.”

“I’m sure, by way of their visit to Kabubbu, they have discovered the extent to which the standard of living is so different out there, compared to what our young people experience at home. It has been a life-changing experience for everyone involved.”

Young people from ‘The Square’ and Friday Night Project have visited Kabubbu several times in the past, where they have built a house for a family in need, and cleaned, painted and participated in arts and crafts sessions.

Youth project coordinator Andy Joyes said: “The visit to Uganda was a good opportunity for young people involved in the project to learn more about people in Kabubbu and the plight they experience. Furthermore, raising funds for the Quicken Trust is something that the whole community can get involved in, not just those working on development projects in Kabubbu and organising fundraising activities.”

Ruth Britton, who was one of those who nominated young people from the Square Youth Cafe for the award said: “John would have been very impressed with this fine group of young people and all they have achieved, and especially interested as we sponsored a child in Kabubbu from the start of the Quicken Trust, and I still sponsor a little girl there now.”

Excerpts of the Square Youth Café’s video diary will be available to view on their Facebook page soon.