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Police Commissioner awards ₤45,000 to
help keep communities safe this Bonfire Night
MORE than 11,300 young people will
benefit from projects which will keep them away from dangerous activities this
Halloween and Bonfire Night, thanks to funding raised by the Police from the
sale of stolen goods.
Merseyside's Police Commissioner has today announced the 26 youth initiatives
that will receive a share of the ₤45,000 pot which is being used to divert young
people away from getting involved in Anti Social or criminal behaviour during
the autumn ½ Term.
Jane Kennedy has awarded the grants from her Police Property Act (PPA) Fund,
which puts money raised through the sale of unclaimed stolen goods or property
recovered by the Police that cannot be returned to its owners into worthwhile
causes.
This is the 4th year the Commissioner has focussed the funding on keeping
communities safe during one of the busiest times of the year for the Police. The
successful organisations from this round of funding will run a host of projects
during the School ½ Term holidays with the aim of keeping a total of 11,331
young people engaged in safe and supervised activities.
Jane said:- "Halloween and Bonfire Night are a time of great fun and
enjoyment for many people across Merseyside.
Sadly, though it is also a time when sometimes the fun can get out of hand and
lead to young people getting involved in behaviour which can become
intimidating, Anti Social or even dangerous to other members of the community.
Traditionally, this means it is often a very busy period for both Merseyside
Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
By funding these youth projects across Merseyside, my aim is to help thousands
of young people enjoy the festivities in a safe and enjoyable way at organised
and well managed events. This will help to ensure they don't get involved in any
activities that could either put them in danger or that they may regret in the
future.
This will also help to relieve the strain on our emergency services during this
critical period, complementing the excellent diversionary work the Police and
fire service already carry out and making sure people can enjoy the celebrations
during the holiday season.
For this year's successful organisations, even a small cash boost can make a
huge difference and will enable them to run some fantastic grassroots projects
which really engage with young people's imaginations while keeping them safe."
A total of 51 applications were received for the funding, amounting to requests
for more than ₤184,000. The bids were reviewed by a panel from the
Commissioner's office and the Community Foundation for Merseyside, who manage
the fund on the PCC's behalf.
As a result, 14 organisations in Liverpool and 5 initiatives on the Wirral have
been awarded funding, with 4 initiatives in Sefton, 2 in Knowsley and 1 in St
Helens all benefitting. Much of the funding was focused in 'hotspot'
areas where communities have been identified as most susceptible to threat and
risk.
Among the successful organisations was Rice Lane Residents' Association which
received ₤1,500 for youth diversion activities for up to 5,000 community
members. Other initiatives include 'Writing on the Wall,' a project which aims to
use music and art to engage with a group of young people in the Dingle and
Toxteth area and Anfield Community Arts which received ₤2,000 to provide
creative arts and lantern making sessions ahead of a family Halloween
celebration for up to 150 young people.
The PPA fund is administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, (CFM)
on behalf of the Commissioner. CFM holds funds from philanthropic individuals
and organisations who wish to support deserving causes in Merseyside and
Lancashire.
CFM's Community Philanthropy Manager James Proctor said:- "We are proud to
be working with Merseyside's Police Commissioner and administering the Police
Property Act fund.
This fund is very popular and the decision making panel had some extremely
difficult choices to make with so many valuable projects presented. We feel the
projects supported will make a huge impact in communities at this time of the
year and wish them every success. For further information on information
on the Community Foundation please visit our
website"
Read about some of the great work being done by the successful applicants and
find out about the grants which have been awarded on the Commissioner's
website.
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