Saving CYTO

For the last 47 years the croydon youth theatre has helped young people from all over south london express themselves in a way that only theatre and the arts can do . it has allowed young people the freedom to articulate their own lives and make sense of the crazy world around them . as artistic director from 1996-1998. i witnessed.over two hundred young people coming through the doors of the shoestring theatre in south norwood . most of whom had no where else to go where they felt safe . in that building they knew who they were. they began to understand about thier place in the world. since i left there have been many artistic directors experiencing the same thing . for the last eight years viv berry the current artistic director has taken the croydon youth theatre to a new level and hundreds of young people have experienced the warmth and freedom and safety, which the croydon youth theatre can provide.How can the current croydon council think that it is agood idea to lose this life affirming place, in a time when the current situation out on the streets is as dangerous and bewildering as it has ever been in croydon.please please do not let this happen to a generation of young people who will have no alternative but to hang out on the streets and express themselves in a way that is negative to society rather than totally positive and life affirming .