Barrow upon Soar

Youth questionnaire

We want to find out what you think could be improved in the village to make it a better place to live for people of your age group. Your opinions and suggestions are important.

Y.1 What is your gender? Male = 113 Female = 115 N= 228
Y.2 / What is your age? 10 – 12 yrs = 74 (34%)
13 – 16 yrs = 106 (48%)
17 – 18 yrs = 39 (18%)
Y.3 / What is your overall impression of living in Barrow? N= 164
A very good place to live / 38
23% / A good place to live / 91
55% / An OK place to live / 40
24% / Not a good place to live / 0
0%
Y.4. / What do you most like about Barrow? N= 136
The main ones being:
recreation grounds 36, atmosphere and location 34, nice quiet place 23,
nice friendly village people 18, the shops are near 12,
the village has all the necessary facilities 11, friends nearby 10,
the countryside 9, the river 9, has some good activities for young people 7
others mentioned: the library, cricket ground, station, fossil trail, Baptist Church, and the cleanliness of the village.
Y.5. / What do you not like about Barrow? N= 129
The main ones being:
Nothing to do for the older age groups 36, the village is getting too big 16,
gangs of youths on the recreation grounds 11, vandalism and graffiti on the recreation grounds 9, litter on the recreation grounds and streets 6,
busy roads 10, drivers not using the car parks 5,
not enough variety in village shops for teenagers 8,
older people making critical comments against young people 6,
others mentioned: poor public transport (buses not running on time, poor links to other villages, not enough No2 buses), no café for young people, no inviting swimming pool.
Travelling about:
Y.6. / When you need to go somewhere out of the village, how do you get there? N= 162
Nearly always / Sometimes / Never
Parents take by car / 104 / 50 / 3
Go by public transport with an adult / 0 / 41 / 70
Go by public transport with friends / 10 / 78 / 37
Go by public transport on my own / 21 / 59 / 47
Walk / 24 / 78 / 24
Cycle / 9 / 57 / 51
Y.7. / When you need to go somewhere in the village, how do you get there? N = 164
Nearly always / Sometimes / Never
Parents take by car / 20 / 83 / 21
Go by public transport with an adult / 1 / 5 / 90
Go by public transport with friends / 3 / 5 / 88
Go by public transport on my own / 0 / 4 / 90
Walk / 124 / 35 / 1
Cycle / 33 / 99 / 31
Y.8. / If you don't walk or cycle very often in the village, what are the reasons you don't? N = 48
Worried about safety 8, roads too busy 3, people object to me riding on the pavement 2,
Parents won’t let me go on my own 7, not in the rain 4, I am lazy 6,
Others mentioned: no secure bike parking, “Its not cool.”.
Y.9. / If you use public transport, where and how do you go? N= 133
By bus / By train
Loughborough / 118 / 14
Leicester / 45 / 69
Nottingham / 6 / 38
Quorn / 63 / -
Mountsorrel / 26 / -
Sileby / 42 / 4
Y.10. / Where else would you like to go by public transport? N= 68
Mountsorrel leisure centre 23, Quorn 7, Birmingham /Woodhouse Eaves/Nottingham 7 each,
Burton/Wymeswold 3 each, direct route to Loughborough 3,
Others mentioned: Meadowhall, Kegworth, Melton, Bunny, Swithland, Cropston. Others commented that it was the infrequency of the buses that was the problem.
Y.11. / If there were a late night service from Loughborough to Barrow, would you use it? N =154
Yes, weekly / Yes, fortnightly/monthly
Friday night / 35 / 27
Saturday night / 35 / 29

Leisure Activities

Y.12. / What leisure activities or sports do your regularly take part in after school or at weekends in the village? N = 98
Scouts/guides/cubs/brownies 22, football 22, swimming 17, cricket 9, martial arts 8, fishing 7,
Running/jogging 6, tennis 5,
Drama/youth theatre/panto 12, music 7,
Safe youth club 7,
Others mentioned: cross country running, archery, maypole dancing,netball, horse riding, BOSCAPS (the summer play scheme).
“None in the village” 4, “Nothing to do in the village”, “Go to Loughborough, “Didn’t know there were sporting facilities in the village”, “Don’t know what’s on in the village”.
Y.13. / What other leisure activities or sports would you like to do in the village? N = 108
Tennis 30, swimming (but Humphrey Perkins pool not good enough) 17, badmington 14, basketball 10,
Hockey 9, football (with better facilities and an all weather pitch) 9, rugby 8,
Dancing 6, skateboarding 5, drama 5, cycling 5, youth club/martial arts/horse riding 3 each,
Lots of others mentioned by 1 or 2 people
Y.14. / Would you take part in any of these activities if they were organised in the village? N = 143
Yes
Youth club run by the school / 44
Youth club run by a church / 33
Youth club not school or church / 61
Youth band (not pop music) / 33
Music group (pop music) / 44
Art club / 49
Cinema club / 74
Cafe club / 52
Choir / 17
Disco / 63
Y.15. / Any other ideas for activities that could be organised for people of your age group? N= 75
Sports hall 11, tennis club 6, youth club 5, trips (eg theme parks and holidays) 4,
café/coffee bar 4, computer club (not at school) 4, basket ball 4, syncro-swimming 4,
disco dancing 3, acting/drama 3, indoor climbing wall 2, golf 2.
Lots of others mentioned.
Y.16. / Is it easy to find the information you need on leisure activities/sports for your age group in Barrow? N = 154
Yes 57 No 97
Y.17. / Any suggestions for ways of making it easier to find out what is going on in the village for your age group? N = 107
News letter/flyers to home 37, posters in shops 28, news letters to schools 24,
Special notice board 23, monthly news letter 10, Barrow Voice (village newspaper) 3,
Library 2.
Plus others
Y.18. / If you are a regular swimmer, where do you go? N = 95
Weekly / total
Loughborough / 11 / 48
Barrow / 20 / 25
Rawlins / 11 / 39
Mountsorrel / 9 / 29
Y.19. / Do you use the parks/playing fields in Barrow? N = 167
No / 30 / Yes, play games/sport / 75 / Yes, use the play equipment / 48
Yes, just to meet friends / 83 / Yes, use the BMX track / 36
Y.20. / How could the parks/playing fields be improved for your age group? N = 112
More adventurous play equipment 31, more goal posts, pitches for football 23,
Cleaner places 20, covered area away from houses and play equip 13, seating area away from houses and play equip 11, better BMX track 8, skateboarding ramp as in Sileby 7,
No drugs or alcohol 7, tennis court 6, enormous climbing frame 4, Astroturf area 4, crazy golf 2
Others mentioned: CCTV, better lighting, cricket strip, proper basketball court and back boards, art/graffiti wall
Y.21. / Is there anywhere in Barrow you feel unsafe? N = 83
On the playing fields at dusk and after dark 32, Brook Lane 20, jitties at night 16,
High St/ fast food shops 4, Sileby Rd (fast traffic) 3, crossing High St/North St (traffic) 4,
Others mentioned.
Y.22. / Are there sufficient facilities/activities for people of your age group with disabilities or restricted lifestyles? N = 108
Yes 27 No 81
Y.23. / Any suggestions for how such facilities could be improved? N = 51
More access ramps 18, include them (the people) in all local activities 13, additional play equipment on recreation grounds 7, start a special club 6, give them better information 5, get advice on funding 2
Plus : better toilets, wider access gates for playgrounds, mobility hoist into swimming pool.
Y.24. / Would you like to be part of a discussion group/think tank to suggest and help organise events for young people?
Yes 25 (but we don’t have names and addresses)
Charnwood Youth Forum:
Y.25. / Have you heard of the Charnwood Youth Forum? Yes 16
Y.26. / If "yes", would you be interested in being part of the Charnwood Youth Forum? Yes 10
(names asked for but none given)