Community Safety Awards
For the third year running, Merseyside Police Authority is
looking to recognise the hard work and dedication of community
organisations across Merseyside that have an impact on community
safety in their area. We'll be awarding one organisation in
each of the five policing neighbourhoods with £3000 to
continue their work. Think you know an organisation who would
qualify? Take a look at our awards criteria and download the
nomination form below. The ceremony will be held at the Crowne
Plaza Hotel in Speke on Thursday 23rd June 2011 and the deadline
for returning the nomination form is 5pm on Friday 27th May
2011
Awards Criteria
Nomination Form
Last year's winners....
Merseyside Police Authority honoured individuals and organisations across Merseyside who have made a difference to community safety and crime reduction across Merseyside.
At a ceremony held
on Thursday 24th at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Speke, the
Police Authority awarded worthy winners from the 6 policing areas
of Merseyside with £3000 each to continue the important work
they are doing.
Chairman of Merseyside Police Authority, Cllr Bill Weightman, said:
"We are delighted to present these organisations with an award
to honour their hard work and dedication to making their
communities safer places. Merseyside Police Authority and
Merseyside Police are committed to working in partnership with
these groups to reduce crime across Merseyside."
The award winners were as follows:
Liverpool North - Stop the Hate
The, 'Stop the Hate' project was created in response to
racist abuse being experienced by local shopkeepers. Staff and
young people from four local youth centres took part in Diversity
and Hate Crime Awareness Training and even interviewed the
shopkeepers concerned. They then carried out their own project work
which included exploring cultures and religions, cooking and
tasting food from different nations and writing and performing
plays about racism and bullying. A final Showcase Event at
Merseyside Hindu Association allowed all who took part to show
their friends, families and local residents what they had learned.
Liverpool South - St John's Youth and Community
Centre
St John's is a Youth and Community Centre in
the Dingle area of the Riverside Ward. It is a voluntary
organisation and is part of the Toxteth Team Ministry. The centre
offers the neighbourhood a detached team on Friday and Saturday
evenings working in partnership with the neighbourhood police team
and supported by local councillors, Plus Dane and the Liverpool
Housing Trust. This has contributed to a substantial reduction in
youth disorder and teenage drinking. Through informal workshops
looking at gang culture and the consequences with groups,
culminating in a Q and A session with the Dedicated Officer for
Riverside, it has also helped to improve relationships.
Wirral - Forum Housing Association - Project Panel
The Project Panel is a group of young people aged
16 to 25 who are supported and accommodated by Forum Housing
Association. They are democratically voted in by their peers on a
six-monthly basis. The group has worked tirelessly to build a
community further than just their project and challenge
misconceptions and improve people's knowledge of the real
capacity of young people today. They achieved this through a range
of innovative sessions designed and delivered by themselves with
the support of Forum.
Sefton - Brunswick Outreach and Detached Project
The project works with marginalised and excluded
young people from the Linacre Ward, Sefton, who are at risk of
engaging in anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. Through
outreach and detached youth work, the project is building positive
relationships with young people in the area, who do not currently
access mainstream and centre-based organised activities.
St Helens - Wildcard Amateur Boxing Club
Wildcard ABC is a project aimed mainly at local
youths. The goal of the club is to instil a sense of pride and self
discipline through boxing and fitness training.The Club wants to
provide a healthy alternative lifestyle away from a drink and drugs
culture commonly associated with youth crime and disorder.The Club
is run by a dedicated committee of volunteers from the local and
wider area and has been supported by the Criminal Justice System,
the local council, Renew Parr, St Helens RLFC and the St Helens
District Sports Council.
Knowsley - SKITTLES
The SKITTLES project is a multi-agency six month
Personal Development Programme, designed to engage with young
people aged 13-17 from the Knowsley area who attend mainstream
school and are at risk of disengaging and entering the Criminal
Justice System through committing anti-social behaviour.
Merseyside Wide - Theatre in the Park
Theatre in the Park is a large scale outdoor
promenade theatre event in Merseyside. In the past five years it
has played to more than 7,000 people and has given over 300
community participants the opportunity to be performers. Knowsley
Arts and Heritage Service are currently working with Merseyside
residents, Halewood Youth Theatre and Altru Drama to create their
outdoor version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. This community
cohesion project brings together people from different
neighbourhoods to connect, be active and take notice as they put on
the production in the grounds of the Halewood Triangle.
6 Merseyside police officers were also honoured for the work they have done within their communities and their dedication to the role. The officers were:
Wirral - Detective Constable Kevin Thomas
Liverpool North - Sergeant Simon Joyce
Liverpool South - Constable Andrew McNamee
Sefton - Constable Garry McCabe
St Helens - Constable Kieran McNamara
Knowsley - Acting Inspector David Brennan
The Police Authority also presented Reverend Peter Beaman MBE with an award to recognise his outstanding contribution to the Authority's Independent Custody Visiting Scheme.
