Hi I’m Jeremy (or Jez) Haycox and I’m 23 years old. I’ve been working with children in a variety of roles for 6 years, with my main background being football coaching. I have a BTEC National Diploma in Sports Studies and I hold a UEFA Level C Football Coaching badge and have a FA Level 2 Certificate in Treatment and Management of Injuries. I also hold Level 1 coaching awards for Cricket, Tennis and Futsal.I support Arsenal and Shrewsbury Town Football Clubs and I play for Futsalopians in the Shropshire Futsal League where we finished 2nd in our first ever season. I have recently returned from a round the world trip which was absolutely amazing and along the way I managed to do an awesome range of activities including white water rafting, snowboarding, caving, scuba diving and a 15,000 foot skydive!It has been an exciting time for all of us involved in the Reccy Rangers and Street Sports Team. The new van has been out and about and the Play Van is as popular as ever. Personally, I am really enjoying getting to know our “regulars,” who turn up every week to our sessions and get the most from what we do. It shows that they enjoy what we provide for them and also keeps them busy and active for a couple of hours each week. We have a great team and we are looking forward to taking the schemes onwards and upwards.
Michelle May 30, 2007
Hi my names Michelle and I’m 19 and I’m a reccy ranger I hold a Btec National diploma in sport development and fitness, as well also my Tops multi sports coaching award and RLSS National Pool Lifeguard qualification.I have also done an nvq level 2 in introductory studies in informal and community education which I have done whilst working at the Grange Youth Centre, I also coach gymnastics every Friday
My first few weeks as a reccy ranger have been great fun!
I’m enjoying meeting all of you at the schools and recreation grounds and greens that we go to and playing all the games and doing fun activities with you.
It’s been interesting when you have all taught me all the rhymes and games you know for the French skipping or for when you use the pom-poms, when you have all been painting pictures or chalking. Also playing basketball and using the parachute has all been great fun and I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have!
Steph May 30, 2007
Hi my name is Stephanie Lewis and I’m nineteen years old. I hold a BTech in Public Services and I’m doing a CCDL level 2 in education and childcare with Triangle Training. I also have a level one football-coaching award, CSLA award and silver duke of Edinburgh award. I started with the Reccy rangers in January as a Street sports assistant and have so far been enjoying my job alot. I have been doing alot of work within schools in Shrewsbury, delivering afterschool sessions. I have been working out and about in Shrewsbury at places such as Moston Road Rec, in Sundorne and at Gains Park Rec, putting on sporting activities such as football, hockey and cricket for local children. As well as this I have been going out to places such as Ford, Westbury, Harlescott, and Monkmoor in the school holidays delivering 2-hour play sessions for children in these areas. Overall I like doing my job and have learnt a lot of new skills such as working with children and young people, new coaching skills and also driving the van. I hope this gives you a good insight into the Street Sports/ Reccy Ranger job!
Van design winners May 4, 2007
In January we offered young people in the borough the opportunity to design our new street sports van. We had over 30 entries which were reduced to a final eight and then these were taken to Sundorne Secondary school for the pupils to decide which one they would most like to see on the van. It was a very close competition and in the end there were two clear winners. It was decided to split the prize between the two overall winners and to incorporate both designs onto the van. It looks great.
The winners of the competition are Lucy Richards age 11 from Harlescott Junior school and Hayley Formstone from Monkmoor Youth Lodge
May 4, 2007
Dog fouling is still a major issue for our children and young people out playing. Our football fields and green spaces are still covered in dog pooh. I know there are lots of responsible dog owners around but if you’re one who doesn’t clean up after your dog think again. And responsible dog owners would like to see dog waste bins in our parks and recreation areas but I don’t think it will be happening anytime soon so could I ask you to take your bags home with you rather than putting them in the bins in the play areas. I know it’s unpleasnt carrying them around, (I have a dog and just want to get rid of the bag asap) but they are a hazard in the litter bins which sometimes only get emptied once a week. Sorry for harping on, but it’s a pet hate of mine. Your thoughts on this topic welcome. Look forward to having a discussion on this I’m sure lot’s of you must have your veiws on the topic.
new team member May 4, 2007
The reccy ranger team is now complete. Our new team member is 19 year old Michelle Pound. Michelle will be assisting with the play van and Jeremy and Stephanie will be out and about in the Street Sports van. Over the Easter holidays we were consulting with young people between 11 and 18 years of age to see what mobile equipment they would prefer to see around the borough and the overall favourite was a climbing wall. I need to see if the Big lottery will allow us to change from what we were orginally planning to buy, a five-a-side inflatable football pitch and mobile skate ramps and use the money for the climbing wall. The girls said they certainly would use a wall more than a skateramp or football and the boys felt there were the mugas for football and other games. We already have some ramps we carry around in the van so hopefully we will have a wall before summer. What are your thoughts? let me know!
We have been working on our half term holiday programme and the street sports van will be working in the following areas: Ford, Harlescott, Sundorne, Greenfields, and Monkmoor so look out for our programme on the council website and local newspaper. Jez and Stef will be at school assemblies to let you know what we’re going to be up to.
Later on this month we’re off to Lilleshall to join in a street games conference, we hope to come back with skills on how to play hand ball an up and coming sport which is ideal for street sports, so watch this space.
Round-a-bouts May 4, 2007
The daffodils have disappeared and our round-abouts are being given a make-over for summer. As I drive past the round- about at Shire Hall I notice alot of work is taken place to make it look more attractive. It now has a visual focal point with shrubs and boulders making an emphasis on the contraversial sculpture. Opinions in the office are divided at the moment as to whether it looks better but I personally think it does. My favourite round-about at Cromere Road is looking lovely with the azealas in bloom. have you a favourite? Do you like our round-abouts or do you not notice them?
Up and Running April 11, 2007
Through the Doorway to Healthy Living a voluntary sector organisation has at long last succeeded in getting the Street Sports project on the road. The van is now out and about. The van was purchased in January 2007 after nearly a year’s delay to the project, through £150,000 funding from the Big Lottery Youth Fund for a three year period as well as funding from the Borough and County Council. Through January to March much work was taking place behind the scenes. My thanks go to Steve Doyle from SABC transport section for negiotating a good price for the van and the art work, it’s much appreciated, thanks also to Paul Baines from Art and Vision for his help in reaching the final design and application to the van. We think and more importantly the young people think it’s a brillant job.
Two staff members were appointed in January, Jeremy Haycox as street sports play leader and Stephanie Lewis as play assistant, b oth make a great team and relate well to the kids they’re working with. Since February Jez and Steph and myself have been visiting junior schools in North Shrewsbury providing free play sessions after school and can have between 12 and 30 children attending. We’ve organised consultation with young people regarding what equipment they would like to see on the streets sports van as well as working with young people on the design for the van. We’re happy with the finished product and so are the kids using the van. They think it’s cool. So well done to Lucy Richards age 11 from Sundorne and Hayley Formstone age 13 from Monkmoor for your winning designs. Both girls received vouchers for £25 for their efforts and they will see their designs for a long time to come as the van is out and about around Shrewsbury. More to come but need to be out and about this afternoon.
Competition winners March 26, 2007
During December to February we have been busy consulting with young people throughout the Borough gathering important information on play from children, young people and adults. We had two seperate questionnaires and there was a chance of winning either an ipod shuffle or nintendo ds. The consultation has now closed and we’re happy to announce the winners of the draw-
The winner of the ipod shuffle is William Lewis age 10 from Bayston Hill and the winner of the Nintendo DS is Adam Pardoe age 16 from Sundorne. The results of the consultation will be published here shortly.
Foul Play March 20, 2007
Further to writing about Upton Lane, the play van has been out and about over the last couple of weeks and dog fouling seems to be an ever growing problem. We don’t like having to clear up after your dogs before we can start a play session, it’s horrible. So I’ve set up this blog especially for comments from you to see how we can stop it. It’s not only the little piles left in the grass but the bags left in the bins beside or inside the play areas. Some of the bins are emptied once a week so as you can imagine the bags pile up and the smell is awful, let alone some of the older kids take great delight in having competitions to see how far they can throw them or have dog muck fights.
Over the Easter break we hope to survey the play areas and will flag up any piles left on the recreation areas and then publish photos to highlight Shrewsbury’s worst areas. If you have any suggestions on how to solve this problem let me know. Do you think the reccyranger should be able to give warnings / fines to dog owners who continually allow their dogs to foul our recreation areas and play spaces without cleaning up after them?
