This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Ossory Youth Services in Desart Hall. For over 25 years Ossory Youth Services has worked with young people and volunteers through Youth Clubs and Youth Projects.
To mark the celebrations a number of events have been planned for both volunteers and young people over the next few weeks. According to Ossory chairman Padraig Fleming, “the events are planned to celebrate the contributions that both young people and volunteers make towards the valuable work that goes on in Desart Hall, parish halls and community centres in Kilkenny and South County Laois.
The celebration will commence this Friday, November 5 with Mayor Martin Brett unveiling a plaque to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Ossory Youth and the official launch of the newly refurbished youth space on the first floor of Desart Hall. Patrick Bookle, the senior youth worker responsible for the new youth space said, “we have about 30 young people using the pool room and computers at lunch times and we find the young people love the break from school work and a place to go, particularly during the winter. The first floor space is particularly impressive and has accommodated music gigs, youth training programmes, pool, table-tennis, war games, Wii and Playstation, cooking, self-defence classes and much more. We’re very pleased and will continue to pack in more and more youth programmes in 2011. If anyone is interested in using the space to run youth activities or in volunteering, they are welcome to drop in anytime to have a look around.”
Other upcoming events to celebrate the 25 year anniversary of Ossory Youth Services include a Masquerade and Black Tie Ball for young people on November 12 in the Springhill Court Hotel and a Volunteer Awards Evening on November 19.
According to CEO Mary Mescal, “we have close to 250 volunteers working in communities across Kilkenny and in parts of Laois. They are working tirelessly and silently — they don’t seek recognition or reward but we want in some small way to say thanks for their time and commitment to working with young people and Ossory Youth.”
