Young people deserve the highest praise for their efforts

Dec 4 2008 West Lothian Courier

I WOULD like to congratulate two West Lothian organisations for the work the carry out in the community.

Blackburn Local Employment Scheme (BLES) recently held its annual general meeting and showed that it continues to assist young people into employment through jits excellent training scheme.

John Ewart MBE and his staff take young people and give them the confidence to gain sustainable employment in the hope they will become tomorrow's craft apprentices.

I would like to encourage local employers to assist this organisation by providing their trainees with employment opportunities.

I then attended a pantomime entitled "Franky Panky" produced by the Whitburn Amateur Stage Productions.

The cast was made up of many young people joining enthusiastically with the older thespians on stage to provide entertainment for the local people.

These young people are following in the footsteps of many, now famous, Scottish actors by starting to learn their art on the stage of an amateur production.

Both of these organisations need and deserve the ongoing support of the community to enable them to continue their work and continue to develop or pass on their skills to young people.

This is again shows us that most of our young people are willing to learn all they need is the opportunity to do so.

Well done to all of those concerned.

Councillor Jim Swan