IT WAS very sad the Thamesmead Festival ended in the way that you reported (Violent Youths Cause Early End To Festival, News Shopper, July 15).
However, I was at the festival and the organisers and exhibitors deserve praise for putting together what for the most part was a fantastic event.
It is such a pity that one negative story should fill the newspaper pages.
The festival was a success and there are many great projects in the Thamesmead area for local people to look forward to.
Anyone attending the festival would have been privileged to see the young talented singers from the T-Factor and learn more about the plans for Sporting Club Thamesmead and the Youth Leisure Zone.
Bexley Council, Trust Thamesmead and others deserve credit for the support they are giving to Thamesmead and the opportunities they are creating.
It is about time people started paying attention to the positives in Thamesmead rather than just focusing on a few bad news stories.
However, as someone who has been a youth worker in Thamesmead I was very concerned at the reported lack of police enforcement for the small minority of yobs who spoiled the evening’s activities.
Violent youths need to know there will be dire consequences if they throw bricks and bottles at the police, and I am not sure that they will have got that message at the festival.
Colin Bloom
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate
Erith and Thamesmead
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