Police help youth groups

Officers from the Hathersage Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team have been working in partnership to improve community youth groups for residents living in the Derbyshire Dales.

PCSO Anthony Boswell has teamed up with the Acclaim Housing Group to offer funding and support for youth groups in the area.

The Acclaim Housing Groups community fund budget has seen many projects benefiting from the partnership in Bradwell, Grindleford, Curbar and Tideswell since the partnership began with the Safer Neighbourhood team in March 2014.

Bradwell Pre-School saw a cash boost of £850 to contribute to running costs, funding was given to the new Grindleford Youth Club to help to maintain costs and provide sports equipment, and children in Tideswell will benefit from extra OzBox sessions, funded by the organisation.

Youth clubs in Bradwell and Eyam also received a contribution from the partnership to help with continued running costs and to purchase new equipment for the children such as footballs, nets and table tennis facilities.

A cash boost of £500 was also provided to Curbar School to help fund multi-use sports facilities which will benefit the pupils and local community.

PCSO Anthony Boswell from the Hathersage Safer Neighbourhood Team said: “Partnership working is a fantastic opportunity for us to combine our resources and work together to benefit people of all ages living in the local community.

“Without funding from the Acclaim Group and other partners, the youth clubs would not be able to keep going. The groups act as a diversionary activity by providing a safe place for the kids in the area to meet and therefore are less likely to act anti-socially in the community.

“The youth clubs are a great way for children in the area to socialise with different age groups, overall having a wider social value and a positive effect in the neighbourhoods.”

Jennifer Alcock, Business Improvement Manager at the Acclaim Housing Group added: “We have had a great success with our partnership working in this short space of time, but without the continued support from the PCSOs, parents and teachers, it would not have been possible.

“The money has seen many groups benefitting from the community fund budget from pre-school to children attending the youth clubs, which in turn has a knock on effect to tenants of Dales Housing and residents in the area. We couldn’t be prouder to be a part of it.

“Our community support compliments the exceptional community work already being undertaken by our subsidiary Dales Housing.”

To speak to your local Safer Neighbourhood policing team call 101, the non-emergency number for Derbyshire police.

If you have a project or know of a group operating within the Derbyshire Dales District that would benefit from the Acclaim Community fund budget, contact Jenny Alcock at Acclaim Group at [email protected].