Cash boost for Wellingborough and Corby groups from Northants' police, fire and crime commissioner

Grants to the value of £40,000 have been awarded to nine groups, all working in different ways to make their community safer.

These latest awards mean that the more than £120,000 has been given to good causes around the county this year and a total of almost £250,000 since 2017, when the Northamptonshire Safer Communities Fund was set up to support voluntary and community groups, charities and other voluntary organisations with projects promoting the aims of the Police and Crime Plan.

This year, the commissioner has also made the Northamptonshire Road Safety Community Fund available to give grants of between £500 and £5,000 for initiatives that support the Strategic Road Safety Plan and aim to reduce behaviour such as speeding and anti-social road use.

This money given as grants comes from a number of sources including fines from speed enforcement where offenders pay to attend a speed awareness workshop, and money taken from criminals through the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The latest awards support organisations working in small communities or across Northamptonshire.

How the grants from the Making Northamptonshire Safer Fund will be used:

- Support Northamptonshire Community Watch will deliver six days of action in priority wards in Wellingborough including Hemmingwell, Queensway, Croyland and Swanspool

- Northamptonshire Pubwatch Safer Nights Project will deliver a range of activity to reduce alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour in Corby Old Village

- Family Support Link is running a countywide project to support the well-being of families living with or caring for someone affected by substance addiction

How the grants from the Road Safety Community Fund will be used:

- Clubs for Young People Driving Project Safer Together will work with 68 young people in eight clubs across the county to raise the awareness of road safety among future drivers

- Assist Trauma Care: Peer Support for Road Victims and families countywide will provide support groups for the families of people involved in serious or fatal road traffic collisions

- Moulton Parish Council will purchase a portable speed camera that will be sited at 10 different sites around the village. Traffic safety has been identified as a key priority to the Parish Council

- Halse Parish Council; Grendon Parish Council; Wollaston Parish Council have all received funding for speed indicator signs to remind motorists of the need to drive safely through villages

Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold said: “Since I became commissioner, it has been my absolute pleasure to be able to give almost £250,000 to people who are carrying out fantastic work and are dedicated to making their communities safer.

"I’m really looking forward to visiting these areas to see the improvements that these exciting projects have delivered.”

Julia Feazey, chief executive of Wellingborough-based Family Support Link, said: “This money will enable us to support more children across Northamptonshire impacted by another’s substance use, promoting their aspirations and self-esteem.”

Applications for funding are currently open until November 29.

For more details go to http://www.northantspfcc.org.uk/