During 2019/20, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) allocated funding to a range of community projects. They included:
- The annual, multi-cultural Middlesbrough Mela;
- Hartlepool Coastal Surveillance Station, which helps to protect lives and property in and around Hartlepool Bay;
- A CD by Stockton-based social enterprise Element 1 CIC. A choir of Cleveland residents from diverse backgrounds including prisoners, ex-service personnel and refugees performed the song One More Light.
In total, more than £78,000 was given to community projects throughout the Cleveland Police area during financial year 2019/20.
Full list of Funding for Community Projects 2019/20
Eid Fusion Festival 2019
Reason: The Friends of Ropner Park in partnership with the Community Welfare Trust staged their 6th Eid Fusion Festival on 16 June. The event aimed to bring together people from local communities to celebrate the end of Eid.
The OPCC attended the festival to hand out crime prevention equipment and advice.
Recipient: Friends of Ropner Park
2019/20 Allocation: £1,500
RCVDA Volunteer Awards
Reason: The RCVDA Awards is an annual event, which acknowledges the invaluable contribution volunteers make to the borough of Redcar & Cleveland. The PCC sponsored the Good Neighbour Award and this sponsorship contributed to the cost of trophies, venue hire, catering and publicity.
Recipient: Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency
2019/20 Allocation: £350
International Football Tournament
Reason: Justice First is a charity, which was formed in 2006. It works with people in the Tees Valley, who are seeking asylum. It holds an annual multi-cultural football tournament. Funding from the PCC contributed towards this event.
Recipient: Justice First
2019/20 Allocation: £1,500
Middlesbrough Mela 2019
Reason: Middlesbrough Mela applied for funding to support the 2019 Mela. It took place on 17/18 August 2019 in Albert Park, Middlesbrough. The event attracted more than10,000 people over the course of the weekend. The event brought together local community groups, who came from diverse backgrounds.
Recipient: Middlesbrough Borough Council
2019/20 Allocation: £1,500
South Bank Carnival
Reason: South Bank Events Group organises an annual summer Carnival with family activities, stalls and information stands.
The Events Group subsidises activities and refreshments with money raised through fundraising and small grants. As a result, the Carnival gives the local community a low cost opportunity to come together.
Recipient: South Bank Events Team
2019/20 Allocation: £200
Stockton Refugee Week Celebration
Reason: The Teesside Uganda Community (TUC) aims to bring Ugandans living in Teesside together as a community. TUC also aims to promote social, cultural and economic activities by working together and making positive contributions to local communities.
During Refugee Week, people from around the world celebrate ‘different pasts and a shared future.’ The event aims to create better understanding between communities. In addition, it aims to encourage successful integration, enable refugees to live in safety and encourages refugees to continue making a valuable contribution. TUC hosted a number of events aimed at providing information to educate and raise awareness of refugee experiences. They also showcased the talent and expertise, which refugees bring to the UK.
Recipient: Stockton ARC
2019/20 Allocation: £1000
Hartlepool Kicks
Reason: Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation is the charitable arm of Hartlepool United FC. It exists to promote the club in the community and to deliver positive activities to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Hartlepool Kicks involves diversionary sports provisions run in targeted areas of Hartlepool. Community-based, evening sessions use a combinations of sports with the aim of engaging young people to help reduce youth crime and anti-social behaviour.
Recipient: Hartlepool United Community Sports Foundation
2019/20 Allocation: £12,980
Trans Aware – NCS Programme
Reason: Trans Aware is a charity that operates in Cleveland providing training sessions and workshops to organisations, community and faith groups to raise awareness and understanding towards Transgender and Non-Binary people.
The charity have requested funding from the PCC to deliver 40 awareness sessions to young people aged 16-17 during their National Citizen Service in August 2019.
Recipient: Trans Aware
2019/20 Allocation: £5,000.00
Hartlepool Coastal Surveillance Station
Reason: Hartlepool Coastal Surveillance Station has been operational since 1989. The aims and objectives of the charity are to provide assistance in the protection and preservation of lives and property of people using inshore waters, beaches, piers and coastal areas in and around Hartlepool bay.
Volunteers provide surveillance cover, 8 hours per day, 7 days a week and report safety issues to the relevant emergency services including the Coastguard, Police, RNLI and UK Border Agency.
The Station applied for funding to help with ongoing running costs which include Radar License and Sea Safety Fee.
Recipient: Hartlepool Coastal Surveillance Station
2019/20 Allocation: £1,426.00
Sailing Beyond Expectations
Reason: As the UK’s oldest and largest sail training charity, the Tall Ships Youth Trust’s (TSYT) mission is to enable young people aged 12-25 years to fulfil their life potential. It does this by providing experiences at sea. The Trust breaks down the barriers, which young people face in society. TSYT operates nationally, providing voyages all year round, offering young people the chance to develop life skills, build self-esteem, embrace a healthier more active lifestyle and get involved in volunteering. Last year, TSYT gave over 1,200 youngsters a voyage experience many of them young offenders or not in employment, education or training.
TSYT was given funding to enable 10 young people from Cleveland, who are young offenders or at risk of offending, to take part in a TSYT voyage. Voyages bring together a cross section of young people in order to work and live in a unique, physically and mentally challenging sea-going residential environment. This environment enables them to develop independent living skills as well as work-based skills and community skills. Young people live and work together as a small community at sea. They also lead all activities on board. A professional crew and trainer volunteers provide support.
Recipient: Tall Ships Youth Trust
2019/20 Allocation: £3,000.00
Fighting Chance
Reason: Fighting Chance Billingham Boxing Club was set up by a team of volunteers. It aims to deter young people from taking part in anti-social behaviour in and around Billingham. To do this, the club provides a base for young people to exercise, learn new skills and socialise.
The Club recently moved into their own premises in Billingham town centre after previously renting space from other gyms. The Club has requested funding from the PCC to purchase equipment for the gym such as weights and floor matting.
Recipient: Billingham Boxing Club
2019/20 Allocation: £6,700.00
Media Cultured CIC
Reason: Media Cultured CIC is a UK-based social enterprise, which designs and delivers Preventing Extremism and Promoting Unity workshops. They aim to promote social cohesion. Workshops also aim to counter radicalisation and racism.
Media Cultured CIC delivered workshop in both teaching and training environments. Workshops were delivered to representatives from eight organisations across Cleveland. Each session was tailored to the needs of the individual organisation.
The effect of this work will be to educate and support individuals and to help promote social cohesion by challenging racism, pathways to radicalisation and to promote the shared values required to build strong and united communities.
Recipient: Media Cultured CIC
2019/20 Allocation:£5,000.00
One More Light
Reason: Element 1 CIC is a social enterprise based in Stockton-on-Tees. The group aims to improve the quality of life for people in Cleveland through community activity. Activities include culture, creativity and food. Element 1 CIC provides opportunities for people to take part, build confidence, learn new skills and increase employability skills.
Element 1 produced a CD of the song, One More Light. The band, who originally performed it, wrote it in memory of a friend who passed away. It was re-released with even more relevance when the co-writer and singer took his own life.
The Choir was made up of Cleveland residents from a range of backgrounds including prisoners, ex-service personnel and refugees.
Recipient: Element 1 CIC
2019/20 Allocation: £2,000.00
The Rifty Youth Project
Reason: The Rifty Youth Project (RYP) in Hartlepool runs a free youth club for young people aged between 6-17 years providing a safe place for young people to play and socialise whilst aiming to tackle antisocial behaviour. The Project also runs a community facility 7 days a week working with local residents to provide advice and guidance and arranges community events to bring the local community together.
The RYP have requested funding to support youth club activities and community events particularly over October half term where there is a risk of higher antisocial behaviour. In previous years the youth club has attracted over 300 young people and the community events over 1,000 residents.
Recipient: Rifty Youth Project
2019/20 Allocation: £2,500.00
MFC Kicks
Reason: Middlesbrough Football Club (MFC) Foundation launched Kicks in 2006. Kicks is a national initiative, which is funded by the Premier League. It uses football and the brand of a professional football club to engage with eight to 18 year olds in deprived areas. Previously, the PCC has awarded funding towards the programme.
Many of the young people, who attend Kicks, are at risk of offending or are known offenders. Benefits include a reduction in youth crime and anti-social behaviour in the targeted areas, and an increase in community cohesion.
Recipient: MFC Foundation
2019/20 Allocation: £24,000.00
Clean Slate Solutions
Reason: Clean Slate Solutions is a not-for-profit organisation committed to reducing re-offending. It aims to make the community a safer place by putting people with criminal convictions into employment.
Recipient: Clean Slate Solutions
2019/20 Allocation: £2,000.00
North East Sex Workers Forum
Reason: The North East Sex Workers Forum (NESWF) is a multi-agency. not-for-profit regional group. It aims to engage and support people involved in or exploited through the sex industry across the North East. The Forum enables participants to shape and contribute to service provision so that it responds to their needs.
The NESWF sought a year’s funding for a part-time coordinator.
Recipient: A Way Out
2019/20 Allocation: £7,500.00