Five Northamptonshire organisations are getting a funding boost thanks to Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold.

Schemes that have benefited from this new round of grant funding include creative projects to divert young people in Northampton away from crime through martial arts, rugby and boxing, a scheme to prevent anti-social behaviour in Wellingborough and a project to provide crime prevention support to vulnerable people across the county.

The organisations received £10,000 each for their projects, bringing the total funding given through all of the Commissioner’s grant schemes over the past 12 months to around £211,000 to 38 community groups.

The Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner makes three grant funds available to organisations, charities and voluntary groups. The funds are: Making Northamptonshire Safer Fund for projects that support the aims of the Police and Crime Plan; the Northamptonshire Road Safety Community Fund for initiatives that support the strategic road safety plan and aim to reduce behaviour such as speeding and anti-social road use; the Small Grants Scheme that supports projects with funding of between £500 and £3,000.

The five groups that have been awarded funding from the Making Northamptonshire Safer fund this time are:

• Proaction Martial Arts Northampton Ltd, which will work with young people already involved in or on the edge of crime to help divert them and support them to make better decisions

• Northampton Saints Foundation, based at Franklin’s Gardens, will support 50 young people from Northamptonshire to offer consistency and stability throughout the summer holidays, helping prevent young people from making poor decisions

• Emmanuel Church will open a boxing club in the Eastern District of Northampton for young people who are at risk of serious youth violence and gang crime

• Care & Repair Northamptonshire will aim to reduce the likelihood of up to 200 vulnerable householders across Northamptonshire becoming victims of burglary or doorstep crime

• Castle Fields Community Group in Wellingborough will work to create a hostile environment for criminals, tackle anti-social behaviour and reduce the chance of burglaries

Jordan Letts, Head of Northampton Saints Foundation, said: “Following our successful application to the PFCC we will be offering a summer programme to our students. This funding will ensure we are able to keep students on track and focused during the summer holidays, preventing them becoming involved in criminal activity and supporting their mental well-being. We understand the value of half-term intervention, even more so in the current climate.

“The Foundation supports young people who are at risk or have been permanently excluded from mainstream education, therefore this programme is essential to create a safe place for them.

“This is our first successful application to the PFCC, we are extremely proud that we are one of the causes they’ve chosen to support.”

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “It’s a tremendous privilege once again to be able to award grants to projects that are working in different ways to make their communities a safer place to live. I’m always inspired by the hard work and creativity that people put in to help make our communities safer and during these very difficult times we are living in, I am pleased to support organisations that are helping young people who may be at risk from criminality.

“It is especially important now more than ever that groups are able to access grants quickly and simply. Recent changes to the application process means awards are now made every month, to give organisations the support they need to keep up their good work.”

Further information about how to apply can be found on the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners website, along with details of all grants awarded in 2019 – 2020.

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