Fulham Children Join the SNAC Pack

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Dance group win challenge to improve their environment

Children from across Fulham gathered at The Queens Club last week for the annual SNAC - Safer Neighbourhoods Annual Challenge - Awards.

This event, now in its fourth year, is aimed at kids aged between five and 19, and the challenge is to create a project that somehow improves their community.

This year's challenge was divided into four areas; Staying Safe, Improved Community Relations, Environment Awareness, Youth Inclusion and Safer Schools. All the the projects were completed in their own time under adult supervision and were submitted to the judges in May.

The overall winner for 2009 was a group called Neighbourhood Productions, a joint venture between the local police and a group called Creative Kidz, who were presented with the prize of a cheque for £1,000 by the event's host, DJ Treble from Radio 1 Extra.

The group took 150 local children from the Fulham area and put together a dance performance. After six months of rehearsals, they performed to a sell out crowd of 1,000 at Hammersmith Town Hall.

The winners for the four categories were: Improved Community Relations - Sands End Safety Squad; Youth Inclusion and Safer Schools - Neighbourhood Productions; Environment Awareness and Crime Reduction - The Eco Friendly Enviro Kids and Staying Safe - Sands End Splatter.

SNAC is part funded by Hammersmith and Fulham Partnership Against Crime, or HAFPAC which is made up from a consortium of local businesses, the local council and the Met Police. The judging panel consists of representatives from HAFPAC. Prizes were donated by local business for each of the four category winners with a £1,000 cash prize for the overall winner.

Charlie Barwick, Carly Chapman and Dani Barwick, who were the producers and choreographers for winners Neighbourhood Productions said: " This is a big achievement, it's been a fantastic six The months and we are so proud of the children's succes."

Inspector Penny Mills from the Fulham Broadway Enhanced Safer Neighbourhoods Team added: "Some of these children were having a tough time, and this this has changed their lives."