SIDMOUTH youths will be extending their hand in friendship to senior citizens at a cream tea party. The event, organised by the Sidmouth Youth Initiative and the Sidmouth Youth Council, will give senior citizens the chance to get rid of any pre-conceived

SIDMOUTH youths will be extending their hand in friendship to senior citizens at a cream tea party.

The event, organised by the Sidmouth Youth Initiative and the Sidmouth Youth Council, will give senior citizens the chance to get rid of any pre-conceived ideas about young people.

Invitations have been sent out to around 30 people and the cream tea will take place at Manstone Youth Club on September 11 in the hope that all preconceptions of the generation divide will be eradicated.

Paul Whitehouse, chairman of the SYI said: "We are creating a programme of events to raise the profile of Sidmouth Youth whilst also considering their needs.

"We really just want to help young people in Sidmouth and although they are a minority we want to make sure they are heard."

Caitlin Bowkett, 16, is chairman of the Youth Council and she hopes the event next week will give a fair impression of teenagers.

She said: "Older people just think of us as one big group and if one person does something violent or vandalises something they think everyone does it.

"We want older people to get on with us and the cream tea next week means we will have a chance to chat and hopefully they will realise we are not all the same."

Waitrose have sponsored the event and are providing cream tea and other refreshments on the day.

There will also be a fundraiser by way of donation which will go towards buying a bench made out of recyclable material to be presented to Sidmouth Town Council.

The initiative is also driving the need to provide teenagers with a place to meet in town. Mr Whitehouse added: "Following the demise of the Loft Club several years ago there has never been an alternative venue."

"Our goal is to provide a comfortable place where youths can go and enjoy themselves.