Cash help for charity helping migrant workers
ASOUTHPORT charity which helps migrant workers settle into the borough has received £5,000 funding from Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner.
Migrant Workers Sefton Community, in Shakespeare Street, was one of 14 projects to receive a share of a £140,000 pot aimed at building stronger, safer communities.
Eleven projects which focus on raising the aspirations, skills and goals of young people were among the 14 initiatives to be awarded grants from the Police Commissioner’s Crime Prevention Fund.
Mrs Kennedy established the fund in 2014 and this is the fifth time she has invited organisations to apply for a vital cash boost of between £5,000 and £25,000 for initiatives which aims to cut crime, protect neighbourhoods and prevent problems before they occur.
Sixty-one applications were received, with requests for funding totalling more than £840,000 and, following an independent assessment panel, the commissioner has announced the 14 to receive help.
They include four boxing clubs in Liverpool, Knowsley and the Wirral and a number of arts, media and sporting projects working with young people, as well as several wellknown youth centres.
Mrs Kennedy said: “There was a fantastic response to my invitation to bid for funding.
“The number and quality of the bids I received demonstrates the passion and dedication among community groups across Merseyside who wish to prevent crime and keep their areas safe. Unfortunately, I can only support a small number of these fantastic initiatives, but I believe the projects which have been awarded funding will be able to use these small grants to make a big difference.
“Many of these projects focus on supporting, advising and guiding young people away from making poor life choices to make sure they have a brighter future.
“Not only does this potentially save a young person from a life of crime, it can have a huge benefit for their family, make the community a nicer place to live and reduce the demand on the police and other public services.
“It is also important to recognise that many of these young people may be coerced, groomed or exploited into carrying out criminal activities on behalf of others and they need our support to take them away from danger and ensure they can enjoy their childhoods and look forward to the future.”
She added: “As always, I’m looking forward to watching the progress and achievements of these projects over the next 12 months.”