* From
left; North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, PACT chair Ashley Rogers and
PACT project manager Dave Evans.
Community groups in
Denbighshire are being urged to bid for a slice of a special £25,000 fund
set up to celebrate the 25th anniversary of a crime-fighting
charity.
Since being established in
1998 the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) has given more than £2
million towards local initiatives across the region – appropriately, much of it
cash seized from criminals and recycled for the public good.
The organisation works
closely with North Wales Police’s neighbourhood policing teams, particularly
the network of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).
Its main focus is to
provide funding to community and voluntary groups for schemes that improve
people’s quality of life by reducing crime and the fear of crime.
PACT is now inviting bids
for grants up to £2,500, with the window for applications opening on May 29 and
it’s open until the final deadline on June 30.
Over the past quarter of a century projects in
every single county in North Wales have benefited from funding.
They include the pioneering Justice in a Day drama
workshops with schools across the region, giving young people a taste of
how the criminal justice system works and the devastating effect crime can have
on families and the community.
Also among the recipients were boxing clubs in
Bangor, Caernarfon and Llangefni, while the Rhyl Raptors wheelchair basketball
team were also cock a hoop with the financial help while Denbigh in Bloom
volunteers and the Kind Bay initiative in Colwyn Bay were thrilled with the
support they received.
In North East Wales, football clubs like Wrexham
Inclusion FC and Coedpoeth United Under-12 Falcons have been helped to achieve
their goals, as has the Cobra Life martial arts academy in Shotton.
PACT chair Ashley Rogers
said: “We wanted to do something special to mark this momentous milestone in
PACT’s history.
“We have supported or
co-funded 2,500 projects in the last 25 years, working closely with North Wales
Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner and grassroots organisations across
the region.
“Our success is very much a
testament to all the hard work that takes place at local level in our
communities throughout North Wales.
“Given the nature of what we
do, it’s very appropriate that a good portion of our funding comes from the
ill-gotten gains of criminals seized via the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“In some senses, the
benefits are intangible because you never know what might have happened without
PACT’s contribution but we can be confident that the communities of North Wales
are safer places because of it.
“Two years ago we
commissioned an impact study in which the findings were overwhelmingly
positive, with 94% of projects reporting improved community relations following PACT
support, 98% of projects positively impacting on policing priorities and 92% of
respondents believing the wider community had benefitted from the intervention
they had delivered through the charity.
“Meanwhile, 75% of those interviewed said their
projects would either not have happened or happened on a smaller scale without
PACT.
“In a nutshell, we are making a real and positive
difference to communities across North Wales and that is a source of great
pride to everybody involved in PACT.
“I would urge community groups and organisations
across North Wales to get their bids to the silver jubilee fund so that we can
kickstart the next 25 years of combating crime and making North Wales an
even safer place to live, work and visit.
North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman took up
her post last autumn and is already a big fan of PACT.
She said: “PACT is a
critical way of being able to support our local communities and fund
initiatives that are a force for good in those communities.
“Catching criminals is an
important part of our job at North Wales Police but preventing crime from
happening in the first place is also a major priority and PACT makes a
significant contribution in this regard.
“The fact that we are
working with grassroots groups means we are responding to the wishes and needs
of those communities and helps build trust in policing.”
“It’s a fantastic scheme
and using the proceeds of crime means we are turning bad money into something
good, so long may it continue.”
Project manager Dave Evans
has been working with PACT since 2004 and has played a key role in its success.
He said: “Whilst we’re
proudly celebrating our past achievements, our eyes are firmly focused on the
future and the purpose of the £25,000 anniversary fund is to maintain our
momentum as we look forward to what PACT can do for North Wales in the next 25
years.
“The world has changed a lot since PACT was founded
with the advent of the internet, mobile phones and the rest of the tech
revolution which has probably made it harder to create safer, sustainable
communities so there now an even greater need for what we do.
“Many of the projects that
we support have an active involvement and engagement with the local
neighbourhood policing teams, particularly PCSOs, who are on the front
line.
“They’re a vital network in
terms of introducing community groups to us and particularly helping groups
that help North Wales Police to make our communities better places to live.
“We are encouraging
community organisations to apply for funding for projects that will have a
positive impact, particularly those which have a long-term vision reflecting
the rich diversity of our area and work in collaboration with others to prevent
problems occurring.
“We are looking for bids that aim to support,
encourage and deliver safe sustainable and inclusive communities across North
Wales.”
* Application forms
can be obtained via the PACT website www.pactnorthwales.co.uk or by emailing enquiries@pactnorthwales.co.uk while those wanting to discuss their ideas can
contact Dave Evans on 01745 588516.
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