By Sandra Wheen
Parents of babies, children and young people may like to know that Fitzrovia has a variety of small play areas and regular organised activities. Young people and their carers have plenty of opportunity to get more out of living here.
The Fitzrovia Community Centre has many activities for parents with babies and children up to age 4, but there are sessions for older children, too. Some sessions are particularly for Chinese parents and babies and there are fun French classes for children of all ages. To find out more call in at the Community Centre between 9.30 and 4.00 at 2 Foley Street, London W1W 6DL, Tel: 020 7580 8680. See www.fitzroviacommunitycentre.org.
There are three outdoor play areas in Whitfield Street for young children accompanied by an adult: Crabtree Fields Play Area at the southern end; The Fitzrovia Children’s Playground halfway along the street (open 3.30pm to dusk in term time and dawn to dusk at weekends and in school holidays); and there is The Warren play area at the northern end of the street.
All Souls Clubhouse, connected with All Souls Church, runs sports and other activities for children and young people as follows:
Tuesdays 5.30 – 7.30 Sports Activities For School Year 7 – Year 9
Tuesdays 8.00 – 10.00 Sports Activities For School Year 10 – Year 13
Wednesdays 6.00 – 8.00 General Activities For School Year 10 – Year 13
To find out more email Mark Wally at youth@clubhousew1.org or ring him on Tuesday afternoon on 020 7255 9766 or call at 141 Cleveland Street, London W1T 6QG. Tel: 020 7387 1360 clubhousew1.org
Fitzrovia Youth in Action helps young people from 8- to 25-years-old engage in positive activity. It also creates a pathway from school to work via project work and work experience. It does not have its own premises for these activities but operates from offices in Warren Street, sending youth workers into schools, colleges, the Fitzrovia Community Centre and other venues to run a variety of projects. It also runs weekly structured football training sessions for under 10s, under 12s and under 16s on the Warren Football pitch at the top of Whitfield Street. This is a floodlit tarmac pitch for five-a-side football with one basketball hoop. Shipon Hussain, is the youth participation officer, and he can be contacted by email shipon.hussain@fya.org.uk or on 020 7388 7399. See: www.fya.org.uk.
Camden’s Summer University is free and an opportunity not to be missed by 13-19 year olds (up to 25 for students with special needs who qualify). But it is not easy to get a place. You need to check the website below in May and get your application in early. A wide range of subjects is covered. 2014 classes included for example: Urban Dance, Digital Animation, Athletics, Photo Diary. The courses are run by some of the most prestigious institutions in our area such as RADA, the YMCA Club and The British Museum. Some of these institutions also offer free or affordable youth outreach courses at other times of year. For example RADA runs one day and other courses for young people aged 16-24, and Dance Unlimited are currently providing free Zumba dance classes for 13-19 year olds at the YMCA. For more information see Camden Summer University.