Six Northamptonshire organisations have been awarded more than £40,000 in the latest round of grants from Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold’s Making Northamptonshire Safer Fund.

The funding supports projects that are in line with the priorities outlined in the Commissioner’s current Police and Crime Plan and includes a series of youth activity camps, a structured youth fitness training programme to combat anti-social behaviour, an extension to outreach work engaging with youth and community representatives, an employment support programme for young offenders and support to extend the county’s search and rescue capability.

A further eight parish councils and schools received grants totalling almost £31,000 from the Commissioner’s Road Safety Fund, to carry out work to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the county’s roads.

These latest grants mean that since 2017 the Commissioner has awarded more than £458,000 of funding to 84 community groups across Northamptonshire as part of the two funding streams.

Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “I set up the funds to help support organisations that can clearly demonstrate how they are contributing to the safety of the county and that support my priorities as outlined in the current Police and Crime Plan.

“Diverting young people from becoming victims of crime or offenders of the future is of significant importance to me and the organisations that I am supporting play a key role in building a legacy of reduced crime and anti-social behaviour.

“I am delighted to be able to continue investing in charities, social enterprises, voluntary organisations, parish councils and schools that can bring practical solutions and benefits to our communities.

“I strongly believe that working with these grassroots organisations that are advocating and driving positive change will help us deliver our vision for a safer county for all.”

Neil Balderson, Search Manager at Northamptonshire Search and Rescue, said: “We are deeply thankful for the grant provided. It has enabled us to make adaptations to our technical rescue vehicle, providing us with vital specialist equipment to improve our rescue capability.

“We can’t express how much the grant means to us, a small charity, especially in these difficult times where COVID has impacted on fundraising opportunities. Nor can we downplay how this has literally helped us to save multiple lives of those most vulnerable in the county.”

 

 The latest recipients of the Making Northamptonshire Safer Fund:

 

CSD Activity Camps received £9,993.30 to help fund activity sessions for schools and colleges on the Kingswood Estate to divert young people from anti-social behaviour

Frank Bruno Foundation was awarded £4,250.00 towards the running costs of a youth fitness programme across the county, with the aim of combatting social problems and criminal activity

Goodwill Solutions received £7,579.50 to provide employment support for ex- offenders, in and around Kettering, aged between 19 and 26 years old

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue are able to equip their new technical rescue vehicle with essential tools to improve the county’s rescue capability with an award of £8,272.20

Linwood Community Cooperative was awarded a grant of £10,000.00 to extend their outreach programme in Corby by recruiting additional youth and community workers

Rotary Club of Rushden were able to host a Crime and Safety Awareness Day for students at Rushden Academy thanks to their grant of £1,500.00 from the Small Grants Fund

 

The latest recipients of the Road Safety Fund:

 

Newnham Parish Council received £4,686.00 to fund two vehicle activated signs in the village

Grange Primary Academy developed Golden ST:EPS, a sustainable and active travel plan and purchased bike storage with their £2,999.00 grant

Cottingham Parish Council were awarded £4,265.00 to fund a speed indication device for outside the primary school, alerting drivers to reduce speed to 20mph

Scaldwell Parish Council purchased a portable speed reader with their £2,048.81 grant

Maidwell with Draughton Parish Council received £5,000.00 to fund two speed indication devices

Cranford Parish Council received £4,414.00 towards their Tufty Project and purchased two speed indicator devices

Oundle Town Council’s grant of £2,340.00 enabled them to buy and install a speed indication device to help reduce traffic speed into the town

Woodnewton Parish Council were awarded £5,000.00 to put towards their speed awareness project buying three speed indication devices to slow drivers down when approaching Woodnewton