Two Aylesbury youth support projects receive defibrillators from the police

Two Aylesbury youth support projects received life-saving defibrillators from a local police group.

Aylesbury Youth Motor Project and the Southcourt Boxing Club were gifted defibrillators yesterday (17 October).

Thames Valley Police’s Aylesbury South Neighbourhood team delivered the devices to the community groups.

The local policing officers received the defibrillators from an unnamed partner agency.

Aylesbury Youth Motor Project is a self-funded organisation that aims to give youngsters on the job skills and experiences that will help them gain future employment. Placing an emphasis on helping youngsters that the school system might not work for.

The recently-launched Southcourt Boxing Club is accessible to people of all abilities. It runs separate children and adult training sessions every Wednesday at Southcourt Baptist Court.

Recently, Aylesbury Youth Motor Project received funding from Thames Valley’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

Commissioner Matthew Barber said: “It was a pleasure to meet Rob and the AYMP team and learn more about their inspiring work with young people. We know traditional classroom education does not suit all young people, so it is important that alternative options like AYMP exist to give young people another route and keep them from falling into crime.

"It was also great to hear that AYMP has a strong relationship with their local PCSOs as this will help to build young people’s trust and confidence in the police.

“I’m delighted to have been able to support the work of AYMP with a £10,000 grant from my Community Fund and I wish Rob and the team all the best with their future work.”

He donated £10,000 to the Aylesbury team.

AYMP provides vocational training to young people aged between 12-16 with a focus on the less advantaged, those at risk and youth offenders.

It works with between 40-60 students per term most of whom are not engaged with traditional education and have been referred by local schools and colleges, Special Educational Needs settings, local authorities or PCSOs, to help them achieve an Institute of the Motor Industry approved qualification. It is ran from a traditional garage in the Bucks town which offers repairs, servicing, MOTs and tyre replacements.