FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1982
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IF AN INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPS AN INTEREST OR IS TALENTED, HE CAN BE CHANNELLED TO ONE OF THE SPORTS ASSOCIATIONS OR THE JUBILEE SPORTS CENTRE FOR FURTHER TRAINING.
MR WIGGHAM SAID PASTIMES SUCH AS ARCHERY, ICE-SKATING, EXCURSION, DANCE, TAI-CHI, FITNESS CLASSES AND FUN DAYS FOR BOTH YOUNGSTERS AND ELDERLIES ATTRACTED 530 DOD PEOPLE LAST YEAR. THESE PEOPLE ATTENDED MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION SESSIONS, SOME OF WHICH WERE HELD IN A NUMBER OF SMALL-SIZED FACILITIES RUN BY THE RSS.
ONE OF THE FACILITIES, A GYMNASIUM IN SPORTS ROAD FITTED OUT WITH FUNDS DONATED BY THE CITY LIONS CLUB, IS EXTREMELY POPULAR, BEING PATRONISED BY MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE DAILY.
+WE NEED MORE FACILITIES LIKE THESE - PLACES WHERE THE RSS CAN CARRY OUT ITS TRAINING ACTIVITIES AND ITS FUN DAYS, WHERE YOUNG AND OLD TRY THEIR HAND AT NEW SPORTS,+ MR WIGGHAM SAID.
*WE ARE NOT COMPETING WITH LARGE DISTRICT FACILITIES,+ HE ADDED, +BUT SMALL NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRES FOR OUR TRAINING PROGRAMMES AND ORGANISED COURSES HELP TO RELIEVE PRESSURE ON OTHER HEAVILY USED FACILITIES, AND MAY ENABLE US TO TRAIN UP A GENERATION OF SPORTSMEN OF TOMORROW.+
TURNING TO THE CULTURAL SIDE OF HIS TITLE, MR WIGGHAM SAID THE DEPARTMENT HAS TWO OTHER DIVISIONS WHICH HANDLE MATTERS PERTAINING TO CULTURE: THE MUSIC OFFICE AND THE PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION.
THE MO'S AIMS ARE TO RUN A FULL SCALE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC TRAINING PROGRAMME: TO PROMOTE INTEREST AND STANDARD OF MUSIC, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE YOUNGER GENERATION AND TO ASSIST THE ORGANISING OF MUSIC ACTIVITIES IN ALL DISTRICTS.
+IN FURTHERANCE OF THESE AIMS, THE OFFICE RUNS OVER 500 INSTRUMENTAL TRAINING CLASSES, IN BOTH WESTERN AND CHINESE INSTRUMENTS, FOR OVER 2 500 STUDENTS, THE COMMISSIONER SAID.
+COURSES FOR AURAL TRAINING, THEORY AND MUSIC APPRECIATION ARE ALSO RUN AT OUR FOUR MUSIC CENTRES, AND MORE NEW CLASSES WILL BE OPENED DURING 1982 TO GIVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNGSTERS TO BEGIN THEIR MUSICAL TRAINING.
+THREE MORE CENTRES WILL BE OPENED BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR. EVEN AT THIS STAGE OF OUR GROWTH, WE MANAGE AND TRAIN 23 ORCHESTRAS, BANDS, INSTRUMENTAL GROUPS AND YOUTH CHOIRS, HE SAID.
ON THE OTHER SIDE, THE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO INVOLVED IN ORGANISING CONCERTS AT FACTORIES, SCHOOLS, PUBLIC PARKS, COMMUNITY HALLS AND HOSPITALS, HE SAID.
MR WIGGHAM STRESSED THAT IN BOTH RECREATION AND CULTURE THE DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES ARE COMPLEMENTARY TO THOSE PROVIDED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL AND THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
/IN THE PURSUIT