Celebrating community resilience in Merseyside
03.06.24 - Merseyside
Merseyside is full of communities that care.
That’s the clear message from neighbourhoods across the region who are building community spirit, helping to prevent crime and make residents feel safer in their homes.
To mark Neighbourhood Watch Week (1-7 June), Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell and her Deputy Jeanie Bell will visit some of the local initiatives which received funding from her Neighbourhood Resilience Fund, shining a light on the amazing groups which are making better places to live across Merseyside.
The Neighbourhood Resilience Fund was launched by the PCC last year with the aim of giving vital cash grants to local residents’ groups to increase safety and security in their neighbourhoods and deliver practical crime reduction projects to help foster and maintain more resilient, safe, and caring communities across Merseyside.
Organisations which the PCC and Deputy PCC will be visiting include:
- Clockwork Studios Prescot CIC who have used the funding to run art, tattoo, and graffiti projects for all ages in an area with high ASB.
- Fairhaven Residents Association who has put their grant towards CCTV provision, safety door chains, Neighbourhood Watch posters for residents and to encourage drop ins with local police officers.
- Bridge Community Centre who has used the funding to provide a community hub, a safe space with trained volunteers for community members in Norris Green and Clubmoor to get help and support for a wide range of issues, such as ASB, domestic abuse, and wellbeing.
- Friends of Maghull & District CIC (FOMD) who received funding to deliver a social and environmental project to transform an inaccessible green space into a place of wellness that will engage the community. This has included the construction of a noticeboard to communicate community events and engage with local people in the town’s busiest area.
Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “As we celebrate a week of community, I’m really looking forward to seeing first-hand how these groups have benefitted from my Neighbourhood Resilience Fund and the difference it’s making to the safety and security of residents.
“These initiatives are doing fantastic work all year round, building local resilience, raising awareness on crime prevention, and boosting community spirit. These amazing residents’ groups are delivered by dedicated and passionate volunteers who are donating their time, skills, and experience to help make their communities safer, more connected, and vibrant.
“It’s so important we feel safe inside and outside our homes. Everyone deserves to feel proud of their community and, most of all, safe. By visiting these groups almost a year after launching this fund, I’m hoping to see the long-lasting impact it’s had on residents, their homes, and their lives.
“This year’s theme for Neighbourhood Watch Week is all about local efforts and big impacts – celebrating the positive impact of local activities and how they develop community cohesion.
“Let’s continue to make better places to live in Merseyside – together.”