Welcome to uni – but mind how you go!
AVARIETY of extra measures will be put in place in Ormskirk during Welcome Week, formerly known as Freshers Week, including increased police patrols.
The first-year Edge Hill University students are set to arrive on campus this weekend, on Sunday, September 17.
And the West Lancashire Community Safety Partnership (WLCSP) is working to ensure that the new students have a safe and enjoyable time while studying and socialising in the borough.
Members of the WLCSP see the week as an opportunity to provide key safety and welfare messages to the students.
WLCSP chairman Dave Tilleray said: “The community safety partnership wants to welcome Edge Hill University students to West Lancashire.
“We have made a lot of effort to ensure plans are in place to help local people and Edge Hill University to integrate students into the area during the first few weeks of term.”
During Welcome Week, partnership members will be in and around the campus on St Helens Road, in Ormskirk, to offer help and advice to new students and provide assurance for the wider community.
The police have a dedicated patrol plan and will have extra officers on local streets during the first two weeks of term.
There will be foot patrols until 3am, particularly on key nights for Welcome Week activities.
Insp Adrian Jolly said: “In consultation with the community safety partnership, we have devised a comprehensive multiagency plan to ensure that Welcome Week is a success and passes peacefully, keeping disruption and anti-social behaviour to a minimum.
“We will be facilitating increased foot patrols in and around the vicinity of the university and town centre. Residents and students alike will be reassured that there will be a visible police presence throughout the welcome period.”
Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service will also give fire safety talks to first-year students and carry out fire safety checks on student accommodation across the borough.
Additionally, university staff will ensure students are inducted into their responsibilities as citizens in our local community.
Edge Hill’s director of student services, Fay Sherrington, added: “Ensuring our students and members of the Ormskirk community are kept safe is of paramount importance to us, and we work closely with the CSP to support a safe, secure and welcoming community environment.
“We’re continually comunicating crime safety messages to students and also encourage them to be neighbourly and become active members of the local community.”
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