£25,000 proceeds of crime funds used to help community groups
Community groups on the North Wales/Shropshire border 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.
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.
Projects that have been helped include the 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.
Community sports clubs and In Bloom volunteers have also successfully applied for grants.
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."
“Two years ago we commissioned an impact study in which the findings were overwhelmingly positive, with 94 per cent of projects reporting improved community relations following PACT support, 98 per cent of projects positively impacting on policing priorities and 92 per cent of respondents believing the wider community had benefitted from the intervention they had delivered through the charity."
North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman 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.”
Application forms to the fund can be obtained via the PACT website pactnorthwales.co.uk or by emailing enquiries@pactnorthwales.co.uk
Anyone wanting to discuss their ideas can contact Dave Evans on 01745 588516.
