Video NationYou are in: Kent > Video Nation  | |  | | |  Film maker:
Jack Rose
Length:2'11''
Date:9th May 2006
Subject:Being young in Ashford | | | | | |  Watch this video
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| |  | | | | Title: Being young in Ashford
Jack has just left school and is stuck for things to do around his home town of Ashford. He feels things should be sorted out for youngsters to make their lives a bit easier. Is some of it his responsibility?
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Take part | | | | | | | |  | | | | Welcome to life! Find something to do, too many youngsters expect things to be done for them. We are giving them too much as it is
Anon
I lived in Ashford for 30 year from 1943, it has a lot more going for it now than we had when we were kids, nobody seems satisfied these days. There was corn exchange use for roller skating, a theatre in Station road, two cinemas, outdoor swimming pool a football pitch in Willsborough and a cricket club the other end of town, also several youth clubs, we always wanted a bowling alley but that was never forth coming Now people seem to have everything and they are still not happy. We couldn't afford to travel a lot on public transport my first wage was £2.50 a week. It's not a bad town having travelled the world I have heard the same sorry about life in towns everywhere I've been. Use your imagination and do something about it and don't expect the council tax payer to stump up every time you are dissatisfied.
John
Ashford could be a fantastic town/city. Unfortunately it lacks a central focus for being that the market gave it a long time ago. It obviously needs more investment in its infrastructure and to make it less of a car cultured town which the ring road turned it into. There are signs like the International railway station, the shopping outlet, and development of the stour centre, for examples, that things are getting better but it also needs something that the whole community can feel a sense of pride in. A good football team, university or even a decent theatre or music venue would be good for the whole community, not just youngsters.
Alistair Baggs
Although I am at the other end of age-scale to Jack (i.e. in my late fifties and have lived in Ashford all my life) I sympathise with him about Ashford. It has needed something doing to it for years - successive councils seem to have done little to improve it. Things are happening slowly, but for young people of Jack's age, rail travel is expensive, the Outlet Centre is fine if you like buying clothes and have lots of money, but for many of us, it is useless. I do believe there are plenty jobs here, if you look around and persevere and are prepared to be reliable and willing to learn. I wish Jack all the best and hope he overcomes his depression and bad habits. Life is good if you are young and healthy. Try and make the most of a bad town.
Linda
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