Let’s Get Involved South East Staffordshire Citizens Advice Bureau (SESCAB) are currently working on a project called 'Let's get involved!' which is funded by the Locality Commissioning Board. It will inform and involve residents of North Lichfield, Burntwood and Chasetown about crime, promote an increased feeling of safety and wellbeing for residents and encourage voluntary, statutory and private organisations to work together and improve the quality of life of residents. They are holding three free, fun events, the first of which was on Sunday 15th May at Curborough Community Centre in Lichfield. The event was a huge success with lots of free activities including face painting, bouncy castle, bucking bronco, drinks and cakes and a chance to chat about crime prevention and any concerns the local residents have. Over 173 people came along to join in the fun and it was a great opportunity to meet community groups, speak to PCSO's, visit the Neighbourhood Watch stand and the fire service even brought along a fire engine for children to look around. There will be 2 more events in August, the first of which will be on 9th August at Open House in Chasetown and the last one will be on 23rd August at Elder Lane park in Burntwood.
Welcome
They would also really like as many people as possible to complete a short survey which can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ZTXVRY9. So come along to our free, fun events, have fun and GET INVOLVED!
If you would like to contribute to the next issue of Partnership Update, due out in the Autumn, please contact Lucie Ferneyhough, Community Safety Officer on 01543 308777 or lucie.ferneyhough@lichfielddc.gov.uk
For more information about the project please contact Tracey Hackett on 01543 684656 or tracey_hackett@yahoo.co.uk
Lichfield BID Lichfield Business Improvement District (BID) has invested in new digital radios to link businesses and other partners strategically across the city centre to detect and prevent crime! Pubs and shops, as well as the Police and CCTV control room now have new radios enabling them to be in instant contact with each other in the event of an incident of crime or anti-social behaviour happening on their premises. This is all being funded by Lichfield BID. The BID is also providing funding for the Business Exclusion Scheme, run through the Townsafe initiative which is accredited by Partnership Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS). The scheme offers FREE membership to all businesses in the BID area to this scheme. The scheme gives businesses access to shared intelligence locally, countywide, regionally and nationally. It gives them analysis of trends, patterns and activities for management purposes and allows them participation in the Daytime or Nightlife Exclusion schemes, where they can exclude individuals from their premises who have been issued with an exclusion notice, for committing an offence in the district.
They are also funding new City Guardians who are patrolling the city centre during busy evenings and during key events, to keep our streets safer! The City Guardians are provided through Gold Standard Security and are a visible presence to reassure visitors and act as ambassadors for the city. The City Guardians are able to help people with directions, act as additional security, assist as event stewards during key events, such as Lichfield Food Festival and help to control the taxi rank in the evenings. They are also equipped with the new digital radios to link them with the Police, CCTV control room and local businesses. For more information please contact Morag Pringle on 01543 441806 or morag@lichfieldbid.co.uk.
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Summer 2016
Welcome to the Partnership Update for Lichfield District, produced by Lichfield District Council on behalf of Lichfield District Safer Community Partnership.
In this issue we look at tips to keep your property safe in the summer, ‘Let’s Get Involved’ project, SPACE, Sexual Abuse Forum Awareness Campaign, Parkour Park in Burntwood and Young People’s Services.
Tips for keeping your property safe during the Summer During the warm weather people are more likely to leave their doors and windows open to ventilate their properties. Walk in burglaries increase during the summer months, so please don't be complacent.
If you are out enjoying your garden, remember to shut and lock all windows on the front of your property. Remember, it only takes a minute to become a victim of a sneak in burglary. Enjoy your summer holiday but make sure your home looks lived in whilst you are away Use timer switches on lights to make your home look occupied in the evenings. If possible leave a car in your driveway or ask a neighbour to park their car on your driveway. Ask a neighbour to check on your home while you’re away and move any post out of sight. Cancel any regular deliveries such as milk and newspapers. If you have a lawn cut it before you go away and trim back any bushes or shrubs that burglars could hide behind. Lock away any valuable items such as bicycles – they may be safer in your home than in an outhouse or shed. Don’t leave valuables in your car – even if you know that the bag on the front seat is empty. Remove your sat nav and its holder from your car, don’t leave it in the glove box as this is the first place a thief will look and make sure you wipe away any suction markers from the holder. Remember to shut your windows and sunroof when you leave your car. Use an approved steering lock and gear clamp. Set your immobiliser and alarm if you have one fitted. Don’t let burglars make easy work of your property, keep garden equipment and tools locked away. Keep your shed securely locked by using strong hasp and close shackle padlocks. Use coach bolts or non-return screws to secure door hinges, hasp and staples. Always put away gardening equipment, tools and furniture away when you’ve finished using them. Keep your garden fences in good repair and consider having trellis on the top to discourage anyone climbing over.
For more information visit www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice/burglary/
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SPACE Project We have been successful in receiving £13,090 towards the Police and Crime Commissioner’s SPACE Project. The project is split in to targeted and universal activities. The targeted aspect of the project is being run by the Fun Club who are working with young people from Lichfield and Burntwood that are involved or on the cusp of being involved in ASB. They will attend regular sessions at the youth clubs, organise 2 Family Days at Curborough Community Centre in Lichfield (3rd and 17th August) and link in with two of Burntwood Town Council’s ’Play in the Park’ events on the 9th August at Open House, Cherry Close and 15th August at Chase Terrace Park. The project will culminate in a Residential at Laches Wood, run by Entrust at the end of the holidays. It will bring the young people together in team building and social skills activities. The Fun Club will also be working with other professionals such as the Police, Fire service, T3, Preventing CSE Team and Positive futures. The universal part of the project will provide young people aged 11-17 who would benefit most with a summer holiday activity pass that allows them free access to leisure facilities, targeted sports sessions and physical activity sessions at the leisure centres and Beacon Park including: Public Swimming Sessions, Courts, Trampoline Sessions , Free G sessions, Boxing and Streetcheer sessions A Leisure Activity Passport (LAP) card which will be active for 12 month and will give discounts to activities after the summer holidays.
Parkour Facility, Burntwood Lichfield District Council and Cherry Orchard Gardening Services are working together to provide a Parkour area in Burntwood. Following a successful bid for funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government’s Pocket Parks Programme, contractors started work onsite on Friday 10 June 2016. When complete, the facility will offer various obstacles to practice parkour, also known as free running. Parkour is a non-competitive, physical discipline of training to move freely over and through any terrain using only the body. The sport encourages self-improvement, discipline and reliance. It also encourages respect for others and for one’s environment, community spirit and the importance of play. The council will also use the funding to host Parkour sessions and events, as well as landscaping the surrounding area with new plants. Councillor Andy Smith, Cabinet Member for Leisure & Parks, said: “It’s great news that Burntwood will have a dedicated space to practice parkour. Our hope is that lot of people will jump at the chance to take part in this popular and growing sport, at their own pace, for free.” Cherry Orchard Gardening Services (or COGS) manage the former youth and community building on the site.Ian Wells, Co-Manager of COGS, said: "We’re sure the local community will have great fun on the parkour wall. Our hope is that it will attract more people to make use of the community centre and grounds." The new Parkour facility is expected to be complete by the end of June, and the council is aiming to officially open it at an event later in the summer that will showcase parkour in action.
We are selling the passes at a cost of £20 to any young person in the district which can be bought from the Leisure Centres or the Ranger Station at Beacon Park. If you know of any young people that would benefit from a free pass or would like more information please contact Lucie Ferneyhough on 01543 308777 or visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk or the SPACE website www.staffordshirespace.co.uk .
Young People’s Activities
We have also funded £1000 towards Liberty’s summer activities at Saxon Hill school (8th—12th August) and Queens Croft High School (22nd—26th August). The funding will support a weeks open access provision targeting young people aged 11-19 with physical disabilities and additional needs. For more information contact Maggi Huckfield on 07772749661 or Maggi.libertystaffordshire@outlook.com.
The Website Task and Finish group have been working with FYI Families (www.fyifamilies.co.uk) and Staffordshire Market Place (www.staffordshiremarketplace.co.uk) as two websites that can be utilised to promote groups, activities, services and information to young people in the district. FYI Families offers information specifically for families and young people as well as utilising an App and using social media such as Snapchat and Instagram. They also distribute approximately 20,000 brochures to venues across south Staffordshire. Staffordshire Market Place is an online directory of over 1400 local care, support and wellbeing services, activities and events across Staffordshire aimed at the whole family. The website has been recently upgraded and is live but will be officially launched between mid and late June. FYI Families and Staffordshire Market Place are working in collaboration to ensure that information is on offer to as many people as possible.
Pathway Lichfield and Tamworth Sexual Abuse Forum are hoping to encourage victims of domestic abuse to seek help by putting contact information in hair salons, nail bars and barbers across the district. The campaign is timed to link in to the Football European Cup as incidents of domestic abuse rise by 25% during major sporting events. The Forum believe that some people may open up to their hairdresser, barber or nail technician. A spokeswoman for the Forum said “People who work in these roles generally have a very empathic and supportive nature and will be easy to talk to. The Forum can provide them with information on how to help if someone does tell them about abuse at home.” The Pathway Project is one organisation that can offer support to victims of domestic abuse and Kathy Coe, Chief Executive of Pathway said “For some people, there may not be many opportunities to seek help. This may be one of those and we want to offer access to help through whatever means we can. Informing these outlets of how to respond and how they can then be a safe place for someone to make a call to our helpline, could make a life changing, even life saving difference”.
Since the last meeting we have now set up two Task and Finish groups to look at the utilisation of two websites to promote groups, activities, etc. for young people and the setting up of a venue.
In the long term the Venue Task and Finish Group want to set up a venue specifically for young people, to offer activities, groups, education and training. However in the short term we are hoping to work with Wade Street Church in Lichfield to deliver some activities, education and training opportunities. A number of new organisations are also attending these meetings, including Advanced Personnel Management (APM) who won the European Social Fund bid for young people not in education, employment or training (NEETS). They will be working in schools with NEETS and those that are at risk of becoming NEET, aged 15 – 19 or up to 25 if they have a learning disability of difficulty. The organisations are linking together to ensure that young people in the district are aware of what services and activities are available to them and that those most at need have the opportunity to take part. The group will continue to work in partnership and engage with more organisations to fill any gaps as well as promoting groups, activities and services that are taking place across the district. If you are interested in being part of the group or have any questions about the issues raised please contact Lucie Ferneyhough on 01543 308777 or lucie.ferneyhough@lichfielddc.gov.uk.
Pathway’s helpline number operates 24 hours a day on 01543 676800. For more information about Pathway please visit www.pathway-project.co.uk/.
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