The Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit is delighted to announce that it has awarded over £10,000 to directly benefit 1,980 young people, through a fund aimed at preventing crime and serious violence.

The Local Youth Fund gives young people an alternative to crime by providing the chance to bid for activities or projects that matter to them and make a difference to the communities they live in.

By developing their own projects, young people are gaining experience, learning new skills and building their confidence, all of which have a positive influence on their future life choices.

Young people continue to shape this fund, with a panel responsible for reviewing applications and providing recommendations for funding. In the latest round of the Local Youth Fund, the panel asked the Violence Reduction Unit to fund 20 of the 24 submissions from young people in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear.

The successful applicants have come up with a range of projects, including community sessions, a variety of sports activities, training programmes for personal development, improving local areas and learning new skills with a focus on health and well-being.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “More than 2,000 young people have already benefited from previous rounds of this fund, so I’m delighted to see such enthusiasm and interest from young people in this latest round. The young people have come up with some fantastic ideas and I can’t wait to see some of their projects in person over the next couple of months”.

She added “The Violence Reduction Unit recognise the importance of giving young people access to opportunities and have put them right at the heart of this unique fund. I can’t stress enough how important it is that we continue to engage our young people now to ensure they have the right support to make positive decisions for the future.”

The organisations supporting the successful applicants include:

• 1151 Wallsend Squadron Air Training Corps
• 1st Ponteland Boys Brigade & Girls
• African Community Advice North East
• Barmoor Hub
• Fearless Fitness CIC
• Fenham Association of Residents
• Gateshead Football Club Community Foundation
• Haltwhistle Young and Sweet
• Hat-Trick
• Humankind
• Inspire Youth Tyne and Wear
• Newcastle Eagles Community Foundation
• Northumberland County Council, Northumberland Adolescent Service, Northumberland Youth Service
• Ocean Road Community Association
• The Chev Gateshead Ltd
• YMCA North Tyneside

For more information on the Local Youth Fund, please contact the Violence Reduction Unit by email VRU@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk.

BUS safety plans are being rolled out after the public told the Northumbria Police Commissioner they want to see safer journeys across the North East.

While people are overall feeling safer when boarding the bus, tackling youth ASB and responding better to complaints have been identified as areas needing improvement and Commissioner Kim McGuinness said is determined to address them.

That’s why she is investing millions of pounds in a range of solutions from youth workers across transport networks, and the Safer Transport Northumbria App, to help make reporting concerns easier.

The renewed plans follow the findings of a bus survey conducted by PCC Kim McGuinness’s office earlier this year.

Although bus users were largely positive about feeling safe on buses, many expressed clear issues with the cost of travel during what are financially challenging times for many of the region’s families. There was also dissatisfaction around local routes and the handling of complaints.

Of the issues that bus users had experienced, anti-social behaviour, intimidating groups of people on buses and in stations, and alcohol related issues were the most common.

Last year, the PCC’s transport survey found that people want public transport that is not only reliable and affordable, but safe too. While this most recent bus survey echoed these wishes, it found 72 per cent felt safe or very safe when using the region’s buses – better than those who completed the Commissioner’s public transport survey in January (42%).

The Commissioner welcomed the progress made but acknowledged there are still 28 per cent who feel less safe, something which needs addressing. Other improvements will include more patrols and support from street pastors to help look after vulnerable passengers, as well as focused operations during busy periods.

A newly formed Multi Agency Transport Team (MATT) will also bring key organisations together to support the police response, particularly around interchanges and transport hubs.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “It’s a critical time for our bus companies because it’s a critical time for passengers. We must get bus travel right. We have a lot of plans in place to make travel safer already, which I am supporting with this investment, but with the Government grants that propped up the bus companies during the pandemic disappearing, I’m concerned about the impact on services and prices. It’s crystal clear these things matter so much to people right now.

“Let’s not forget we are one of the poorest regions in the country – cuts will undoubtedly hit us the hardest. Buses are relied on by the poorest in society. These people can’t pop to work in their car because they can’t afford one. We must get buses right. It’s one of many tools that can be used to help alleviate poverty – giving people access to opportunities and support. Poor transport only makes hardship worse and that’s not what any of us want for the people of the North East.”

Cllr Martin Gannon, Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “Our bus network is really important for local people – helping people travel to access education, work or leisure opportunities in a sustainable way

“It is absolutely essential that people feel safe when travelling in the region, so I’m fully supportive of this investment to improve personal safety which I’m sure will help even more people to use public transport with confidence.”

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The Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit has today announced a third round of its Local Youth Fund, providing an exciting opportunity for young people in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear to voice what matters to them.

With an £18,000 fund available, young people, with the support of a registered youth or community organisation, can bid for projects or activities up to £500, that have a benefit to them and the communities they live in.

Thanks to previous rounds of this unique fund, £18,000 has already made a difference to more than 2,000 young people through projects and activities they developed themselves, including awareness videos, clubs and forums, personal hygiene projects, re-engaging with education and training, sports activities, environmental projects and many more.

This fund continues to be shaped by young people and through working with partners, North East Youth Alliance, the Violence Reduction Unit will have the support of a youth panel, responsible for reviewing applications and providing their recommendations for funding.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said: “The Violence Reduction Unit have already held two successful rounds of their Local Youth Fund, where I asked for young people to tell us what matters to them, and they did just that. And now, with another £18,000 fund available, I want young people to tell us how we spend this money – what projects, activities or support would you like to see?”

She added: “It is vitally important that we engage our regions young people now to ensure they have the right support and access to opportunities so they can make positive decisions for the future, therefore reducing their chances of becoming involved in crime. That’s why providing young people with the opportunity to develop their own project or activity, results in fantastic benefits such as increased confidence and learning new skills, which they can use in daily life. So, if you, or someone you know has a great idea, then please do apply”.

On behalf of the North East Youth Alliance, NE Youth Chief Executive Jon Niblo said: “We are delighted to working collaboratively with the Violence Reduction Unit to ensure that Young People are involved in this exciting fund. The fund enables Young People to develop their own local projects that make a real difference in their communities.”

For more information on the Local Youth Fund, please visit the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit website.

MORE patrols, more interventions and more education – these are just some of the plans announced by Police Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, after securing millions in what she describes as a “win for public safety in the North East.”

Whether on the bus or at the bar, the vision set out for the region, by PCC Kim McGuinness along with the local councils and Northumbria Police, is to make public places across our region safer and feel safer for everyone, particularly for women and girls.

The cash-injection for the region will fund enhanced police operations that identify and crackdown on potential offenders, as well as making sure women feel safe and get the best support when needed.

As well as an array of street volunteer, wardens and youth engagement projects, there will also be behaviour change programmes for young men who show inappropriate behaviours and attitudes towards women. People can expect to see more from the popular Fun without Fear campaign which promotes safer nights for women and the Safer Transport Northumbria reporting app will also be developed further.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness said: “We have to accept people don’t always feel safe in some public spaces.

“It’s everyday thoughts – ‘I best not walk through that underpass; I best move carriages to avoid that intimidating bunch of guys’.

“These aren’t paranoid thoughts these are normal thoughts. They race through women’s minds. So, let’s make that underpass brighter, let’s educate that bunch of guys. We need to be doing these things and now we can. It’s full steam ahead now with rolling out this really important work alongside our local authorities and transport networks partners.”

“There is no simple fix -so our plans are about using every tool we can to keep people safe and drive ASB down. We’ve already made a start with a lot of this and I’m excited to build on it.

“Northumbria Police have had great success with Operation Cloak and my Fun without Fear campaign received brilliant support region-wide working closely with our councils and Rape Crisis. Our Safer Transport Northumbria app is now fully established for reporting concerns and flagging ASB on our transport networks. We know what works now and we are all set to build on it now. For me, securing this investment is a real win for women’s safety here in the North East.”

Northumbria Police Assistant Chief Constable Neil Hutchison said: “As with previous successful funding bids, we very much welcome this latest announcement as it means we can build on the considerable work already under way to keep our communities safe.

“We are always keen to expand on these initiatives and ultimately want everyone to feel safe, whether that is while on a night out or enjoying the region’s beautiful parks and open spaces.

“We are committed to listening to the communities we are privileged to serve and working with our partners as we all come together to help ensure this region remains one of the safest in the country.”

Chief Operating Officer at Nexus, Martin Kearney, said: “We have worked in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner on the Safer Streets bid, and we’re delighted that more funding has now been secured to boost safety and security on the public transport network.

“It is vital customers feel safe on public transport at all times and we look forward to working with Kim McGuinness and our police force on taking the scheme forward.

“Nexus has invested in new CCTV and body worn cameras, and have increased the visibility of customer support staff and put in place a dedicated 24-stong security team to provide an extra presence in the evenings. The Safer Streets funding bid will really help us to build on all of this this work.

Plans are being funded following a successful bid to Round 4 of the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund.

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EFFORTS to tackle crime in rural Northumberland are to be stepped up through technology upgrades, dedicated training and the continued roll-out of successful community engagement work, Police Commissioner Kim McGuinness has revealed.

More than £250,000 in funding secured by the Commissioner’s office means Northumbria Police’s latest plans to tackle rural crime and make people feel safer are being given the go ahead.

Rural crime covers a wide range of crimes from poaching and theft to ASB and more serious organised crime.

Addressing the serious impact crime can have on farmers and their families, and others who live in our more isolated communities, is high on the policing priorities list for PCC McGuinness and the force.

The enhanced rural policing plans involve encouraging reporting, working with others to prevent crime and targeted activity to pursue offenders. It will help fund new technologies covering number plate recognition and thermal imaging as well as research and practical crime prevention tools.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “Northumbria Police is known for rolling out some of the best rural policing operations in the country but there is always more that officers want to be doing to clampdown on criminal activity and protect these communities. Rural policing is certainly not something that’s overlooked in our area, and we are one of few forces who have bid for funding specifically to tackle this area of work – it’s hugely important to us.

“It’s vital that officers have the tools to do the job and there are some big plans in the pipeline to improve the technology around data gathering and intelligence sharing with other members of our countryside communities who work hard alongside our policing teams to keep the area safe and fight crime.

“For me this work is about strengthening a lot of good work that’s happening already and making sure Northumbria Police continues to lead the way, making sure we are always one step ahead of criminals and responding to the needs of residents. We all want to keep pushing crime down.”

Chief Supt Janice Hutton, who leads Northumbria Police’s Harm Reduction and Communities Team, said: “We are delighted to see additional funding has been secured to build on the dedicated initiatives we already have in place to keep our rural communities safe.

“Policing these areas presents a number of unique challenges, not least due to the sheer size and sprawling nature of the landscape we cover and also the types of crimes which can occur.

“That is why it is vitally important we have bespoke operations in place to not only help prevent offences from happening but also to provide a robust response when they do occur.

“We recognise the impact criminality can have on often small, close-knit communities and we are absolutely committed to providing the very best service possible.

“The support we receive from the people who live and work in these rural areas, alongside our partners, is absolutely crucial to this – and we look forward to seeing this continue as we all come together to help ensure the region remains safe.”

£255,186 in funding has been secured through Round 4 of the Home Office’s Safer Streets fund. Plans have been supported by Northumberland Council, Farmwatch, Northumberland Fire and Rescue, Northumberland National Park and Mountain Rescue Team, and Forestry England.

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Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness’s Violence Reduction Unit has put plans in place to ramp up activity over the summer in a bid to stop spikes in violence and keep people safe.

With more people heading out to enjoy the warmer weather and the Violence Reduction Unit having already successfully piloted more activity over the Jubilee weekend and at iconic events such as The Hopping’s, it has made summer plans a key focus in the weeks ahead.

The Violence Reduction Unit aims to get ahead of the curve this year after launching its Summer Violence Fund, as part of its response to reducing crime.

Through working closely with the Community Safety Partnerships in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear to develop projects to reduce serious violence over the summer period, it has led the Violence Reduction Unit to invest over £100,000 in local communities to provide:

• Newcastle with additional staff to engage the public and young people in the City Centre as well as the parks and green spaces.
• Northumberland with a team of officers and youth workers deployed in identified areas to disrupt a rise in crime.
• Gateshead with a team to engage young people over the summer holidays to prevent increases in anti-social behaviour.
• North Tyneside with funding to enable staff to further engage with young people and provide diversionary activities.
• South Tyneside with additional resource to identify, engage and support young people in sports activities and educational sessions.
• Sunderland with youth outreach work taking place in and around the City Centre, supported by additional wardens and officers.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, said: “Violence is unacceptable at any time of the year, and now that summer has arrived, we all want to enjoy everything our region has to offer – especially now we are seeing some normality back in our lives. But, it’s so important to me that everyone feels safe and that support is readily available to those who need it. That’s why my Violence Reduction Unit have provided additional resource throughout the summer, to engage with individuals at the earliest opportunity and prevent crime before it starts.

Assistant Chief Constable David Felton said: “As a Force, we are committed to cutting serious violence and tackling the underlying causes of repeat offending.

“Our collective approach to reducing serious violence is succeeding, as supported by national figures which show hospital admissions fell by eight per cent and 14 per cent year-on-year in 2019-20 and 2020-21 respectively.

“The number of offences involving firearms have also significantly reduced.

“This shows that the important work we are doing with partners to protect our communities and prevent these types of incident from happening in the first place is making a difference.

“We will continue to look to build on the excellent work already under way, including to help educate people about the dangers of being involved in such activity and help them make better choices.

“By working together we can continue to drive down crime and help ensure our region remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”

Now in its fourth year, the Violence Reduction Unit will continue its work to interrupt violence by using data and local intelligence, addressing offending behaviours, educating young people and providing diversionary activities to prevent crime by improving lives.

For more information, please contact the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit by email vru@northumbria-pcc.gov.uk

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