Local teens enjoy 3 days of sport at Lough Moss Leisure Centre

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council was delighted to offer local young people the opportunity to take part in a fun programme of physical activity sessions at Lough Moss Leisure Centre. The programme was delivered over three days by the council’s Sports Development team in conjunction with Breda Dreamscheme group and the PSNI.

Dreamscheme is a Northern Ireland youth charity creating safe spaces where young people can thrive. The organisation works closely with the Dundonald Neighbourhood Police Team in the Lisburn & Castlereagh area to identify those 'at risk' and strives to help young people reach their potential through positive work activities.

Fifteen young people, aged between 14 and 16 years, attended the 90 minute sessions across 3 days at the Carryduff centre.  Participants had the opportunity to enjoy a range of sports including tag rugby, netball, Olympic handball, cricket, rounders and soccer.

Councillor Sharon Skillen, Chair of the Leisure and Community Development Committee said, “As part of Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council Community Plan 2017-2032, there is a significant focus on meeting the needs of children and young people.

“The council recognises the importance of ensuring our young people feel valued and encouraged, particularly as we continue to see the impact of the pandemic on this age group. We know that children and teens at times have felt frustrated, bored and isolated from their normal routine which has had a detrimental outcome on their overall health and wellbeing.

“The sessions at Lough Moss Leisure Centre were about helping young people reach their potential through a range of positive activities.  Participants were given the opportunity to step out of their comfort zone and try a new sport, which provided a fantastic life skill and also promoted the importance of integrating structured physical activity into their lifestyle.

“I would like to thank the young people for taking part in the programme and look forward to welcoming them back to our leisure facilities in the near future.”

Emma Foy, Dreamscheme Area Lead commented, “Sport has long been used to help young people channel their energy through structured activities.  The feedback from the last number of days has been very positive. The young people have had the opportunity to try out a number of different sports, many for the first time, including netball, Olympic handball and tag rugby.”