PASS Activities

PASSDuring 2007/08 Partners Assuring a Safer Staffordshire (PASS) supported thirty three applications with £41,348 worth of small grants to support activities to reduce crime, the fear of crime or to improve safety in communities across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. The grants were allocated to support activities as follows:

  • Supporting projects to reduce anti social behaviour: 60% of funding
  • Securing property or community premises: 21% of funding
  • Providing education / information to reduce crime: 19% of funding

In addition PASS received £850 to support the handyman van in South Staffordshire, £900 from Age Concern to work with police officers in North Staffordshire to secure homes of vulnerable people. PASS also received a grant of £9,100 from the Britannia
Foundation to work in partnership with the Home Improvement Agencies Alliance to deliver the Safe and Secure Home project within a 25 mile radius of Leek. This service secures the homes of vulnerable people using the services of the CRB checked handymen from the alliance. The handymen also install smoke detectors and work with other agencies to provide the contacts individuals may need. The whole of Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent are covered by the Home Improvement Agencies Alliance and it is hoped to gain further funding to extend this service to more residents and increase their confidence through improved security. This project is also supported by Staffordshire County Council with funding from “Closing the Gap”.

The following listing of community projects supported by PASS funding is but a sample of the work carried out by community police
officers, other agencies and volunteers that work together to make Staffordshire a safer place. The Trustees wish to take this opportunity
of thanking all businesses and organisations that have supported PASS by making an annual donation and to invite other businesses to join and help ensure this community work in crime reduction and safety continues.

Projects granted funding by PASS 2007/08

Moorlands East Crime Prevention Panel £1,000
The crime prevention panel encompasses the areas of Blythe Bridge, Werrington, Cheadle and Kingsley. The panel have been able to purchase door chains, door mirrors and personal alarms and armed with these items attended various gatherings across their area. Working closely with the Police they are able to give advice on the use of security measures and where vulnerable people have been identified fit security devices oat their homes.		 Alrewas Youth Project £2,000
Young people in Alrewas were invited to take part in a survey to obtain the view of 12-17 year olds in the village regarding facilities. The overwhelming opinion was that young people wanted somewhere to go with their friends, to just stand and chat or play sports /games. The location and start of this project is still under discussion between local groups and councils.
Quinton gala day: South Staffordshire £500
For the second year a successful gala day was held in Great Wyrley with the safety partnership bringing in funds from a variety of sources. The project was entered by Police Officers in the prestigious Tilley Awards and has since won international recognition for its work in involving a community in the clean up of its area and the provision of facilities for young people. PASS contributed towards graffiti removing kit, sports kit and prizes.		 Rising Brook School Stafford-community centre CCTV
£1,500
A community centre for use by various agencies has been developed at Rising Brook School. The application and need for the centre and security of its’ users was supported by the neighbourhood Police Officer for this area. The centre provides services to a catchment area of some of the most deprived wards in Stafford.
Biddulph Youth Theatre Staffordshire Moorlands £2,000
PCSO’s from Biddulph working with young people have now established a youth theatre group. The young people get involved with all aspects of staging a performance. On the evenings that the activity takes place there has been a noted reduction in the reporting of incidents of anti social behaviour in Biddulph.		 Eccleshall Cricket Club Improving Security £1,234
An active cricket club with junior members in rural Staffordshire needing security measures to the premises to prevent break-ins. The Police Crime Reduction Officer surveyed this site and made recommendations to the club to address vulnerable areas.
East Staffordshire Race Equality Council £2,000
To enable the continuation of the Faith Awareness programme
with Burton schools. Its’ aim is in promoting greater awareness of
different faiths and removing ignorance which is often one of the key motivators for hate crimes.		 Garage Forecourt Watch Stafford £300
Operating similarly to neighbourhood watch schemes, garages signing up to this project will be given a Forecourt Watch Sign to inform customers they are part of this scheme. Drive offs from petrol
stations can be notified to the Watch and a warning passed between members.
Business Drop in Meetings £200
PASS supports opportunities to engage businesses in crime reduction training sessions. Funding has been allocated to provide
refreshments at events that are held for this purpose.		 Safety Scene-Staffordshire Moorlands £2,000
Leek crime prevention panel and Staffordshire Moorlands
Soroptimists, have helped organise and run this project for several
years. PASS has contributed for one year only towards the staging of this event which allows over 500 children aged around seven years over a five day period to interact with various scenarios that challenge personal safety.
JIGSAW-justice information guide-County £1,000
The project was to develop an interactive DVD by Staffordshire Police to provide victims of crime easy to understand information concerning the criminal justice system. The DVD would collect all the current available information together and present it in a less confusing way to the victims of crime. The aim is to support them during the process of prosecution.		 CASTS Angling Group Stafford £2,000
Following the success of other projects using fishing as a positive
activity to engage young people, CASTS works with young people
developing personal skills. The group also engaged the young people in community activities including a litter pick.
Stone Youth Cafe £1,000
A number of agencies and young people, working together, to find
premises and establish a youth cafe in this rural market town.		 Crime Prevention Butts Lane £800
The project provides either personal or property alarms to victims
and repeat victims of crime. Vulnerable residents who also fear
crime would be provided with the appropriate alarm to reduce their
fear. The distribution would be made through members of Talke Pitts Residents Association who could identify the residents and promote the project.
Junior Street Wardens : Cannock, Rugeley, Chadsmoore,
Heath Hayes £2,000
The Junior Wardens’ scheme operates either during or after school with pupils in years 3 – 6. The complete course runs 33 one hour sessions and provides life skills and encourages the young people to take responsibility for the locality where they live. The funding contributes towards the purchase of pocket note books, pens and reporting cards. There are currently 581 young people involved in the project with a further 300 already taken part and a further 43 senior pupils requesting training as young wardens.		 Cheadle 8-13’s Moorlands activity group £2,000
Computer literacy classes: to assist in providing interests outside the classroom and deter young people from engaging in anti social behaviour. This project is a continuation from the Cheadle 8-13 activity group that have previously received funding from PASS for outdoor activities.
Anchor Bowling Club Stoke on Trent £2,000
Funding, to assist with securing of the pavilion windows which had been vandalised. The project also aimed to improve aesthetics and reduce the opportunity for vandalism.		 Victim support training £1,000
A contribution towards: a variety of courses for volunteers of Victim
Support. These include basic training for new entrants working for
either Victim Support’s community service or the Court Witness
Service, supporting young victims or victims of domestic violence.
Keele University Student Safety £382
To remind new residential students at the university , to take care
of their personal property. Window stickers: to remind students to
lock windows when leaving their rooms. Property marking kit and a
window notice to would-be thieves that property marking has taken
place.		 Cheadle N Staffordshire Prevention better than cure £164
A crime reduction and reassurance project , headed by a community police officer. Although crime levels are low the perception of crime is much higher. The funding would be used to provide UV pens for marking mobile ‘phones and the pens taken home and used on household items and shared with neighbours.
Stone: The Right Stuff Club, Stone £2,500
£1,500 awarded from PASS and a donation of £1,000 from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service. This diversionary boxing project for Stone youngsters follows successful similar projects involving young people in sporting activities.		 Staffordshire Moorlands Crime Prevention Roadshow £620
To purchase crime prevention measures to take out to rural villages
around Waterhouses .These homes have been victims of bogus
callers. The aim of a rural road show is to educate residents and in
particular reassure vulnerable sectors of the community with security measures. Working closely with the police, the road show will also target young people and educate them on the consequences of anti social behaviour and how they too can play a part in reporting suspicious incidents.
SHINE-Stoneydelph, Tamworth £1,000
SHINE has been developed by local parents wishing to provide an
out of school activity for young people. They have the use of a mobile classroom situated in the school playground and required funding for signage within the mobile, CRB checks and first aid training for volunteers. The young people attending had also requested basic first aid training.		 Brocton Football Club, Silkmore Lane Stafford £472
The football site backs on to 65 households and the club has made
large investments in improving the site which is enjoyed by local families. The original ‘ladder’ type gate needed to be replaced to secure the site. The application was supported by the Police Crime
Reduction Officer.
Newstead Residents Group Stoke on Trent £400
This group is working with local police officers on a crime reduction
project for the residents of Newstead, Stoke on trent.		 Safeguarding our Children, Blurton, Stoke on Trent £1,000
Funding has been granted for this social enterprise if required when this group takes up residency in new premises. The grant was made to secure the large front window of the premises if shutters or bars were required.
Improving security. Norton and Ball green Community Centre, Stoke on Trent £670
This is a well used community centre by residents across all ages of the community. Funding was requested towards improved lighting of the car park and walkway for users of the centre.		 Etruria Park Regeneration-Speed cycle track £1,695
Etruria Park Residents Association is trying to bring the community
together to reduce crime. PASS has contributed towards the provision of a cycle speed track. The project aims to bring together parents and youngsters from Etruria and Shelton. Bikes have been
purchased with funds from Awards for All to enable wider participation.
Wraparound marking: Stoke on Trent Crime Prevention Panel £100
Wraparound post code marking is usually used for bicycles but Stoke wanted to extend this service to the pushchairs and prams of parents. An increase in stealing baby buggies from the waiting rooms at doctors and clinics brought about the use of this identity to mark prams and pushchairs.		 Jingle Bells: Stoke on Trent crime Prevention Panel £500
The panel requested funding to extend their successful Christmas
shoppers campaign by providing a ‘cat’ bell to fix on shoppers’ purses or wallets. This alerts shoppers of the removal of their wallets by pick pockets and has already led to the successful detainment of one would be thief.
Improved security Wesley Hall Methodist Church, Sneyd
Green Stoke on Trent £1,000
The church had experienced problems with people using the grounds for unlawful activities. The Police Architectural Liaison Officer surveyed and the site and made recommendations to improve security to curb unwanted activities. The church contributed towards the total costs and improvements are underway.		 Future Club Bentilee Dad’s Club Stoke on Trent £1,000
Funds set aside to support the formation of a Dad’s Club on the
Bentilee Estate.
Blythebridge and Forsbrook Support Group N Staffordshire
/Moorlands £1,884
Start up funding was made available from PASS to support the development of youth activities in Blythe Bridge. There were very few organised activities for young people in this area. The project was fully supported by the crime reduction officer and other local organisations. youngsters took part in a well publicised litter pick and £1,000 was raised from a community car wash to fund a disco. General beauty treatment for girls is at hand at the local beauty centre and sports activities will soon be starting.