Chantry Youth Development Initiative is a sub committee of Chantry Residents Association and was set up in 1997 with the aim of providing freely accessible leisure resources for the children and young people of Chantry. There were no free facilities in the immediate area and the majority of children are from low-income families or families on means tested benefits who cannot afford the prices of the local sports centre.
It took over four years to raise the £20.000+ needed to build the court but in August 2001 the new sports area on the Chantry Estate was opened by the Deputy Mayor of Ipswich Don Edwards and international basketball stars Steve Nelson and Peter Scantlebury.
Chantry Residents Association leases the land from Suffolk County Council at an agreed ‘peppercorn’ rent and it is free for anyone to use. Although basketball is the main function, the court was designed to be multi purpose; football, roller hockey and tennis can all be played on there. Ipswich Borough Homes recently held a very successful community fun day on and around the court.
Anyone can book the court for sporting events, fete’s, table top sales, etc by telephoning The Community Shop on 01473 683680
As with any new project there were a few sceptical people at the beginning who thought that it would never happen or even doubted that it would be used, but the children use the court all the time; during their school lunchtime, after school and now thanks to Suffolk ACRE (Local Network Fund) and Councillor Sue Thomas we have purchased 4 floodlights which has enabled the children to stay and play in the darker winter evenings.
Thanks to Suffolk ACRE and the 'Local Network Fund' we were able to hold a coaching programme during the summer school holidays.
A 10-week programme is currently under way please click on http://www.freewebs.com/cydi/currentcoachingsessioninf.htm for further information.
We are depended on donations to maintain the court and provide sporting activities for the children if you would like to make a donatation cheques can be made out to
'Chantry Residents Association (Youth Section)'
and send to:
Chantry Residents Association
F.A.O The CYDI Committee
The Community Shop
26 Lavender Hill
IPSWICH
IP2 0ND
Alternatively cash donations can also be made in person at this address in an envelope addressed to The CYDI Committee.
Any donation small or large would be greatly received and ensure our project keeps running.
Website address http://www.freewebs.com/cydi/
