August saw the V-Involved project’s Youth Action Team (YAT) organise and co-ordinate their successful Health & Fun Day at Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith.

The team applied to the Youth Opportunity Fund for money to put on the event as they felt there was a need to promote local health services to young people in a way that would really engage them.

The plan was to hold an outdoor event that saw the main health providers from the borough including H&F Teenage pregnancy, Sexual Health Team, the Primary Care Trust, the Stop Smoking Team and H&F Health Trainers out in full force combined with attractions for young people including a 5 a-side football tournament, a bungee-trampoline, t-shirt design food & music a boxing coach, DJ tutoring and Karaoke.

Volunteers started arriving at the park from 8am with enthusiasm to set up, and there were a number of tasks waiting for them. Admittedly, there was initial confusion, as there were no gazebo-assembly experts on board so all efforts resulted in comedic attempts. Once everything was in place relatively on time, the event kicked off. Crowds of families, children and young people were lured in by music from the DJ all afternoon and the attractions such as the bungee-trampolines were popular the day.

Face-painting and a talented sketch artist put smiles on children’s faces and the boxing coach got the young people flexing. The t-shirt design stall had people setting trends with spray-paint and glitter pen designs. Queues stretched for miles for these designs so as flattered as these volunteers were, they must be commended for their patience in dealing with the high demand.

After a slow start, the DJ workshop and karaoke took off with many feeling the desire to show off their X-factor, singing to Britney tunes and asking us ‘Don’t cha think your girlfriend is hot like me?’

As well as music, sun and fun, food also added to the enjoyment factor. A free jerk chicken BBQ went down well, courtesy of Carib Caterers. Another major success of the day was the Under 16s and under 18s 5 a-side football tournaments, one member of the YAT team writes;

“I thought the five a side football worked out real well. The young people were so enthusiastic to get the show up and running had some of them help me put up the goal posts. It became clear the youngsters were kitted out for serious games and wanted to win the tournament!”

Competitiveness was running real high and tackles flying in from everywhere. Such an appetite was built up that at the break between the matches the line at the jerk chicken stall grew significantly as the Primo-Donna footballers pushed in.

A young person commented “I think personally there should be more large scale tournaments like this for young people. Open to people interested in football and who want to enter and be on the winning team. It gets young people into sport, keeping them healthy and being productive.”

Workshops and sexual health screenings by H&F Teenage Pregnancy helped emphasise the importance for young people to practice safe and healthy relationships.

A number of other organisations supported the day including the Refugee Advice & Support Centre, The Lyric Theatre and The Hammersmith Yoga Centre.

The Youth Action Team

If you are interested in getting involved in the Youth Action Team? Please contact the Youth Volunteer Development Manager Ember Hibbert on 0208 741 9876.