Crime prevention heroes across Derbyshire are celebrating a new funding boost to help them double down on efforts to build safer and stronger communities.
The community champions were invited to Force Headquarters in Ripley as special guests of Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Fatima Eltinay to formally recognise their achievements in the latest round of the PCC’s Safer and Stronger Communities Fund.
In total, 30 charities, community groups and voluntary organisations secured grants in the second phase of the scheme, each receiving up to £5k to tackle issues that residents have prioritised in PCC Nicolle Ndiweni-Roberts’ ongoing consultations.
During the celebration event, representatives were invited to showcase their winning applications and the likely impact of the new investment on reducing risk and vulnerability across the county.
The event also provided the opportunity for the grant recipients to meet each other and explore how they could potentially work in collaboration in the future.
The Commissioner values the powerful contribution of community and youth organisations in addressing the underlying causes of criminality and anti-social behaviour (ASB) and has spoken of her determination to harness their expertise to develop effective solutions.
Building strength and resilience in people and communities is key to the Commissioner’s mission to make Derby and Derbyshire safer and she believes grassroots organisations have a critical role to play in their delivery, and in the successful completion of her Police and Crime Plan priorities.
Projects securing funding during this round include street-based youth engagement pop up sessions to divert young people from ASB, community workshops on domestic and sexual violence and financial abuse, targeted training and toolkits for care homes and residential support services to increase awareness of domestic abuse in relation to older people and anti-knife crime education through sports as a powerful medium for change.
Other prevention schemes supported include mobile CCTV units to improve safety and reduce ASB, targeted support for people living in supported housing, basketball mentoring for young people, and digital safety training to protect vulnerable residents from online fraud, romance scams and cyber-crime.
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Fatima Eltinay said: “This event shone a spotlight on the people who all too often work quietly in the background, placing the safety, wellbeing and happiness of others at the forefront of everything they do. It was inspiring to hear about their experiences and successes, and how, working together, we can achieve more.
“The Safer and Stronger Communities Fund was created to empower those who know and understand their communities best to make a lasting difference for future generations. While the application process was robust and competitive, I am confident those organisations who have succeeded will bring far-reaching benefits to victims, potential perpetrators and wider society, assisting those who need help most to change course.
“Community spirit is the lifeblood of safe and strong communities, and I am excited to see these projects take shape in the weeks and months ahead and report back the dividends.”
The projects supported through the latest round of the fund tackle one or more of the PCC’s Police and Crime Plan priorities. These are: violence against women and girls; anti-social behaviour and community safety; neighbourhood policing; bringing offenders to justice; drug dealing and substance misuse; and supporting victims and safeguarding.
In addition, the Commissioner has pledged to tackle rural crime as Chair of the Derbyshire Partnership Against Rural Crime; Online Safety as the National Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) Joint Lead for Cyber and Economic Crime, Fraud and Online Safety; and Road Safety, specifically speeding as a strategic partner in the Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership. These issues remain key concerns for the public and are frequently raised during the Commissioner’s ongoing engagement activities.
For full list of grant recipients, visit: https://www.derbyshire-pcc.gov.uk/homepage/safer-and-stronger-communities-fund-round-2/.
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