An action group is forging ahead with plans to implement a re-birth of the West End.

A steering group met on Saturday under the title Sandys Parish Community Visionary Meetings Plan.

Organiser Llew Simmons said elderly homes in the neighbourhood were run down and at risk from the property developers.

Ideas suggested by the group include a web page detailing activities in the area in tandem with a parish newsletter while school children should be encouraged to learn and report on neighbourhood history.

?Use our school children to tell us the success stories of our families. We must produce our own medium to tell our stories,? said Mr. Simmons at the meeting at Sandys Secondary School.

He said St. David?s push to be a parish in its own right was revolutionary thinking which showed what could be done.

On youth issues Derek Smith said youngsters needed to tailor degrees to what was available on the Island in order not to end up jobless and frustrated when returning from school.

An open day to reintroduce the neighbourhood to each other and to reconnect families was suggested by Noel Woods.

The meeting heard how Hurricane Fabian had opened up new areas of open space ripe for environmental development.

One attendee raised concerns about alcohol sold at Somerset Cricket Club while Mr. Woods said clubs needed to be more family oriented rather than male oriented.

The meeting drew up suggestions for recreation including creating sporting links with overseas bodies, improving the appeal and uses of sports clubs and developing youth leadership organisations.

Using tented village Daniel?s Head for a cultural centre was also proposed, offering activities such as wood craft, macram? and sculpture.

The meeting looked at improving community services with former Health Minister Nelson Bascome, who attended to support his friend Llew Simmons, suggesting more health services be set up so people didn?t have to travel to Hamilton.

Mr. Bascome also surprised many at the meeting by telling them there was a bowling alley in Dockyard which was locked up, as well as a little-used squash court.

This would help address problems of youth with nothing to do, it was suggested. Youth activist Gerald Fubler said children resented the stop and search laws and needed to be told why Police did it. A joint youth/Police forum was suggested while Mr. Bascome said Police needed to get to know their community and its residents to build up trust, just as they were doing in St. Monica?s Mission.