Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Kathryn Holloway, has funded a community centre in Bedford which will offer a dedicated space for police and partners to support local victims of crime and help to reduce the risk of residents becoming victims as part of the Safer Streets programme for which her office has won funding from the Home Office.
The newly improved community centre, on Prebend Street in Bedford, which has been run by the charity SMART CJS since 2016, was officially reopened on Thursday December 17, following further investment from the Commissioner of £16,040.
The funding supported additional staff costs and the expansion of the centre which will allow organisations to tackle a wider range of community issues and encourage more partnership working, including as a Community Policing base and linking with the Bedford Borough Council’s Community Safety team and Signpost, Commissioner Holloway’s support service for victims of crime.
“I’m absolutely delighted that right at the very heart of the Midland Road Safer Streets project there will be an improved community centre, which is also Covid secure, to provide a meeting point for residents and a base for partners to deliver projects with them to make the whole neighbourhood safer and create a real sense of community as well.
“This would not have been possible without funding from the Home Office which was one of two Safer Streets bids totalling £882,000 won by my office this year and without the help of Bedford Borough Council which has worked with the OPCC team on this bid for the Midland Road area.” said PCC Holloway.
Anita McCallum, CEO for SMART CJS, said, “We are thrilled that the SMART Prebend Centre will now be used in a whole new way – as a community centre – as a base for the Safer Streets Project and other community partner organisations. Rather than lying empty, with this temporary change of use kindly granted by Bedford Borough Council, it will be opened for the benefit of the residents and to make the area safer for all.
“We will, of course, be working in close collaboration with the Safer Streets Team who will alert us to any rough sleepers who may need our help and support with shelter, food, healthcare and other advice.”
The Community Safety team from Bedford Borough Council will use the centre to continue the work being carried out under the Safer Streets Fund, which involves working with the community to improve residents’ home security, street lighting and improved CCTV cameras.
The Community Policing team will also be present at the centre to support the community and offer crime prevention advice, as well as a Victim Care Coordinator from Signpost.
Sergeant Maddie Doggrell, from the Bedford Community Policing team, said: “We are working closely with our partners on the Safer Streets Project and we are really grateful we have a community centre where we can come together to make sure our victims are getting the support they need.
“Protecting our community is at the heart of everything we do and we want our local residents to know we will be there to support them, share crime prevention advice and tackle the issues that they are facing.”
Simon Powell, Head of Victim Care for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “The Safer Streets initiative is a wonderful platform for Signpost to be able to interact with Bedfordshire’s victims of crime by utilising the Safer Streets centre on Prebend Street. Working alongside Safer Streets will be a Victim Care Coordinator every Wednesday to provide face to face advice and support.
Antonina Belcheva Safer Streets Project Manager and Commissioning Lead for the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, said : “ We are pleased to be able to provide further facilities not only to community members but to our partners who will be able to deliver a variety of support sessions from the centre. The support we have seen so far from Bedfordshire Police, Fire Service, Community Safety Team and partners has been incredible, we can certainly say that our multi agency approach proves to be working for a safer community.”
For any organisations or charities wishing to use the centre as a base for community work, please contact the team via email at saferstreets@bedford.gov.uk.
The Signpost support service for those affected by crime, not just the victims themselves, can be contacted free of charge on 0800 0282 887 where specialist Victim Care Coordinators will help find the support that is needed by each individual.
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