THE PROGRAMME for this year’s Henley Youth Festival was launched this week.

Thousands of young people will take part in the 19th annual event, which will run from March 17-24.

Plans for the festival, which features music, dance, drama, art and sports events, were discussed on Tuesday.

Out-of-school workshops will be run for the first time as part of the ‘motion’ theme for 2012.

Activities will include fencing, ukelele with Sam Brown who runs the International Ukulele Club of Sonning Common, and softball with Rhea Simister of Harspden, who plays for GB.


For younger children there will be a movement and motion carousel, as well as bell boating, football and judo for all ages.

Henley Youth Centre will once again host art workshops.

Musicians will perform Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March number one, at the end of proms evening.

Junior musicmakers will be held at the EYOT Centre wile junior dancer remains at the Kenton Theatre.

The performing arts classes will be non-competitive for the second year running and the film, art and photography classes will continue to be competitive.

Tina Jacobs, a member of the festival’s steering group, said: “We have some new things going on this year so it is really exciting. We are using social networking to get people involved.”

Performing arts co-ordinator Lucie Henwood said: “For a stage performance to work for the audience and the performer it is a team effort.

“We want to help young people to experience what it takes to make a professional performance and to thoroughly enjoy their time on stage.”

Primary schools in Henley will hold special assemblies in the next couple of weeks.

For more information, visit www.hyf.org.uk/ and www.thehyf.blogspot.com.

Published 27/02/12