Thousands of young people to benefit from safe, engaging activities this Halloween and Bonfire Night thanks to PCC’s fund
18.10.23 - Merseyside
More than 4,000 young people will be able to enjoy safe, engaging activities this Halloween and Bonfire Night, thanks to the Merseyside Police Commissioner’s Youth Diversion Fund.
Local charities, organisations and community groups were invited to apply for a share of £50,000 to go towards projects to help keep young people active and engaged around the autumn half-term, a time when emergency services typically report a spike in incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.
In total, 24 grassroots initiatives will each receive grants towards diverting young people away from crime and ASB, helping to ease the pressure on our emergency services and helping to maintain safety and security in the community.
Among the successful recipients are The Opening Doors Project in Walton who are holding a Halloween craft and food and fancy-dress event including a zombie walk for 600 young people.
Powered by Hip Hop CIC will be helping to keep more than 100 young people off the streets in St Helens with graffiti sessions and break-dancing workshops as well as a Halloween BMXing, scooting, skateboarding and parkour event while Shy Lowen in Netherton will be providing an animal experience with horses designed to look like skeletons using chalk as well as scary scarecrow activities for 250 young people.
In Knowsley, Evolving Mindset CIC will be delivering a DJing course designed to empower and engage young people who are identified as being at risk of getting involved in ASB or crime in Prescot across Halloween, and Bonfire Night.
All the funded projects will complement Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service’s annual operation focused on preventing and reducing ASB during the school break.
It is the fifth round of grants since the Commissioner launched her Youth Diversion Fund in August 2021, meaning 125 projects have now shared more than £350,000 to deliver projects benefiting a total of nearly 21,500 young people across Merseyside.
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Halloween and Bonfire Night are times when families and communities across Merseyside come together, with the vast majority enjoying fun and exciting times together. Sadly, though there will always be a minority who take things too far and see this period as an opportunity to engage in types of behaviour that can have a negative impact on our communities.
“Tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for me and I’m very proud that through my Youth Diversion Fund, these fantastic organisations and initiatives can provide a variety of supervised activities and opportunities to a diverse range of young people with the aim of preventing ASB and crime.
“Historically, it is also a particularly busy time for the police and the fire service. Through these grants, I want to help alleviate some of this extra pressure that our blue light services experience at this time of year, as well as supporting the excellent diversionary work already being carried out by Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
“Our voluntary and third sector organisations are embedded in our communities, and they already know how to make the most of such grants to benefit their local areas. I’m excited to see the positive impact the vast array of imaginative and creative projects they have proposed benefits our young people and keeps our communities safe and secure. “
The Youth Diversion Fund takes money raised through the Police Property Act which sees money from the sale of unclaimed stolen goods or property recovered by the police which cannot be returned and diverts it towards worthwhile causes that benefit our communities and the people who live in them.
A total of 61 applications were considered by the panel, with a combined value of more than £157,438.
To avoid any duplication, bids were shared with partners before being reviewed by a panel from the Commissioner’s team and the Community Foundation for Merseyside (CFM), who manage the fund on the PCC’s behalf. CFM holds funds from individuals and organisations as donors who wish to support deserving causes in Merseyside.
As a result, 8 organisations in Liverpool were awarded funding, with 5 projects running on the Wirral, 5 in Sefton, 2 in St Helens and 4 in Knowsley.
James Proctor from Community Foundation for Merseyside said: “The Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner’s Youth Diversion Fund is a fantastic funding programme that supports our local grassroots community organisations and their engagement work.
“Halloween and Bonfire evenings are fun events for children and young people though they are also traditionally times when anti-social behaviour can increase.
Community organisations offer the chance for children and young people to get involved in organised events such as Halloween parties, sports and cultural activities delivered in a supporting environment which keeps them safe.”
Successful bids as follows:
Sefton
Brunswick Youth & Community Centre – £1,000 working with 120 young people across Bootle delivering an outreach programme to encourage young people to attend during Halloween and Bonfire night. There will be activities across Mischief Night, Halloween and Bonfire Night including arts and crafts, soccer, sports camp, cookery classes, and parties.
Community By Nature – £2,990 to work with 40 young people in the Linacre area providing three events on Halloween, Bonfire night, and mischief night with engaging forest school themed activities for the young people.
Our Place Community Hub – £1,000 working with 240 young people in the Litherland area providing art and craft activities, cooking healthy meals, team building activities, educational sessions, and sporting activities for children and young people over the Halloween period.
Shy Lowen - £3,000 working with 250 young people and their families in Netherton providing a fun horse riding experience with horses designed to look like skeletons using chalk and 'build a scary scarecrow' activities on Mischief Night and Halloween.
The Inclusive Hub - £2,940 working with 120 young people from the Linacre area providing activities and celebrations for young people during Halloween and Bonfire Night including football skills, refreshments, arts and crafts and a Halloween party and fancy dress.
£10,930 for 770 recipients
Knowsley
Act for Action - £1,600 to provide a safe place for 20 vulnerable young people who will attend a series of Halloween and bonfire night themed activities including art and drama workshops.
Clockwork Studios Prescot CIC - £2,300 to deliver a project supporting up to 500 hard to reach young people at risk of crime in Prescot, to engage in constructive, safe activities during Halloween and Mischief Night including a dressing up competition, scary movie nights, face painting, storytelling, and a treasure hunt.
Evolving Mindset CIC – £1,300 to deliver a DJing course designed to empower and engage 15 young people most at risk of crime within Prescot across Mischief Night, Halloween, and Bonfire Night.
Tower Hill ABC CIC - £3,000 to deliver outreach work in the build-up of the Halloween period to encourage 50 young people to attend free boxing and dance sessions planned for Mischief night, Halloween and Bonfire Night. Refreshments, treats and small prizes for competitions to help drive more community children to the facility will also be on offer.
£8,200 for 585 beneficiaries.
Liverpool
Catalyst Dance & Drama - L8 Toxteth - £2995 to fund project offering evening sessions of dance and drama for 150 beneficiaries with a karaoke kafe also between 5-8pm.
Dame Kelly Holmes Trust – North Liverpool - £2995 working with 90 young people hosting interactive physical and wellbeing sessions on Mischief night, Halloween and Bonfire Night between 5.30 and 9.30, games, food and refreshments.
Joseph Lappin Centre – Old Swan - £1000 funding Halloween party and Film club for 100 beneficiaries, bringing community together, children aged 3 -12. Monday 30th – 2nd November
KMC Community Projects Ltd – Garston, Speke - £2750 working with 100 people with sports sessions on Mischief night, Halloween and Bonfire night, with young people ages 12-18 years old.
Lister Residents Association – Kensington- £900 working with 200 people with community group events leading to hosting 2 main events on Mischief and Halloween doing sports and other events bringing the community together.
Team Oasis – Dingle- £2000 working with 100 young people on Mischief Night, in house youth group event, games, prizes, food and fancy dress. Halloween, classic party to be held.
The Opening Doors Project – Walton - £1000 working with 600 beneficiaries providing Halloween craft and food and fancy dress, including zombie walk on 31st.. Community Party, followed by fun day the next day, finishing on the 31st with the Zombie walk.
Together We’re Stronger – Croxteth - £3000 towards 101 beneficiaries providing food, DJ and fireworks, 2 large community events on Halloween and Bonfire Night, bringing together all ages in the community.
£16,595 for 1561 beneficiaries
St Helens
Park Farm ACYP Centre - £2,100 to offer 275 young people fun, creative, and inclusive youth diversionary activities during Halloween in the deprived community of Moss Bank in St Helens, including themed arts and craft activities, a Halloween scare night and disco, as well as a community-wide Halloween costume competition with three prizes.
Powered by Hip Hop CIC - £1,300 to provide 105 young people with graffiti art, DJing and break-dancing workshops as well as a Halloween BMXing, Scooting, Skateboarding, and Parkour Event that will engage young people in activities with youth workers and keep them off the streets in St Helens Town Centre, Parr and Haydock.
£3,400 for 380 beneficiaries
Wirral
Crea8ing Community - £1,500 to work with 150 young people within the Noctorum Estate through a series of free diversionary activities for children, young people and their families throughout the Halloween and Bonfire Night period. Working closely with Our Happy Hub.
Our Happy Hub - £1,500 to work with 220 young people on the Noctorum Estate on the evenings of Mischief Night and Halloween, providing free themed activities. Working closely with Crea8ing Community.
Tranmere Rovers in the Community - £2,835 to work with 175 children and young people in the Beechwood and Prenton areas, delivering a series of sporting and e-sports activities through Mischief Night and Halloween.
Two Brothers Gym - £2,540 to work with 30 young people aged 11-19 in Birkenhead, providing a free Mixed Martial Arts programme to divert young people from anti-social behaviour between Mischief and Bonfire Night.
Wirral Youth Zone - £2,000 to work with 200 young people aged 8-18 from across the Wirral through a series of targeted activities, including an escape room and Halloween parties free to local youths.
Total: £10,375 for 945 beneficiaries