Save The Lighthouse Youth Club

Keep The Lighthouse alive. They do tremendous work for the young people and deserve to keep going with new premises.

Music for me was not only a development of identity, but also a therapy. Diagnosed with a plethora of psychopathological ailments in early adolescence, music was an outlet that guided me through uncountable levels of hell. I grew up in quite a culturally deprived down. In my own time I had to learn the skills that would provide me with a cognitive life line that would inevitably save my life and sanity. I joined the lighthouse as a volunteer 3 years ago. Likeminded founders, volunteers and supporters all believe in one indelible truth – that music can be a vital and powerful tool that can build and develop a person emotionally, mentally and socially. The lighthouse is founded on providing the youth in our community with the support, guidance and provisions that is essential to grow in this way. Over the years, we have had very successful, well rounded, highly capable and brilliant alumni that we couldn’t be prouder of. Currently still have a consistent number of users who benefit weekly in such a positive, artistic and productive facility. I can’t help but wonder if I had such a valuable musical refuge, when I was growing up, how my past could have been less traumatic. The lighthouse isn’t just a youth club; it’s a safe stage for the youth to perform; it’s the fun lesson that was never dreaded at school; it’s a safety net of guidance and advice, it’s a career builder; a social hub and it is everything that is good about our society. I strongly urge anyone in any capacity who can help The Lighthouse survive, please do so. Our community has done so much through this project – I hate to see it come to a possible end

I pray this club stays open <3

Don’t turn the Lighthouse dark!

Rising knife crime, increasing anti social behaviour, the decimation of youth clubs and the youth service. It’s not rocket science is it !!!!

Criminal to remove things such as this. And we wonder why kids hang around on the streets.

If you take from the youth then don't complain about them when they cause trouble

Without the lighthouse and opportunities they have always kindly offered, so many local musicians would not have been given the chance to progress in their ambitions and careers.

Young people need a safe environment to meet socially.

I used to come to the lighthouse when I was a young and learned valuable lesson from both the music side and life lessons, I then volunteered here for years which gave me a nvq quilfaction which I probably wouldn't have got without the lighthouse. Musically I wouldn't be where I am today without the lighthouse, please save this little gem of a place as it gives back so much more than you can imagine. The team at the lighthouse deserve so much credit in what they do and the hard work they do for young people in the area is so valuable. Please don't rip this away from them and the young people.

Without youth groups like this there will be no future for the music industry but most significantly a limited future for our young people particularly those whose strengths are in this field.

What a disgrace all the great work for young people council should be ashamed of them selves.

This place has helped and shaped many young people. So much good has come from here, it would be a shame to take that away from them. This place can benefit so many more people and by taking it away you deprive them of that chance to grow.

Music is such an important outlet for both young and old. The guys who run this project are so amazing and have done so much for the musical, and personal, development of so many people in the local community. Please don’t let such an unbelievably worthwhile resource fall by the wayside.

A valuable local asset

Used to go here myself - hoping it may be around for my children!!!!!

It is vital to give younger kids and youths an opportunity to be part of a community. Everyone has made things inaccessible through price hikes or forced closures. You dont want kids running the street or just playing computer games then you must give them a space to go safely that gives them the chance to grow as people.

I used to run a Youth Centre in London for many years. I still have contact with some of the kids. They all say that it was the best thing they ever attended and have very Happy Memories of the times they had there.

The Lighthouse is such a vital part of Christchurch youth support. It must be replaced with an alternative site within Christchurch or better still funded from BCP to be able to enhance the services on offer.

We have all seen the effect of massive Tory closures of youth services in cities all over the country, don’t let BCP abandon this vital Christchurch project. Where do they think the guys that use the Lighthouse are going to go? Pathetic!