ROC WSM has been offered up to £4,000 from the North Somerset Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) fund to distribute across new initiatives that will help tackle, prevent and reduce the harmful impact of violence in our communities.
Five new units, in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and Somerset, tackling violent crime were set up across the Avon and Somerset force area following the award of Government funding last Autumn. Avon and Somerset is one of 18 police areas across the country to receive Home Office funding to create VRUs and made the decision to split funding by local authority area to account for the different levels and nature of serious violence in each area as well as crucially, broader opportunities for prevention and early intervention. Each VRU brings together police, local authorities, health and community leaders to identify root causes and drivers of violent crime and co-ordinate a response.
In North Somerset, a VRU was setup to principally focus on the areas of Weston-super-Mare and Worle which account for two thirds of all crime and disorder recorded by police in the area.
The VRU priorities include reducing youth violence, alcohol related violence, domestic violence, vulnerabilities to exploitation, knife crime and awareness of the harms, and improve the safety of the local area.
We are asking local people to come forward with proposals that will help the prevention and early intervention of violent crime, align with the VRU priorities and meet a local need as outlined in the report we wrote after the ROC conversation in February 2020. As noted by PCC Sue Mountstevens, through the VRUs we are "working together to make a change".
It is important that applicants outline how the funding will be used and show how your initiative is not duplicating and will dovetail with any current work.
ROC Leader Penny Hynds said: “In these extraordinary times we are eager to build upon the huge community response seen during lockdown, to harness the creativity and entrepreneurship of individuals and groups to help build safer and kinder communities in Weston-super-Mare. The funding is to seed small projects that may go on to become self-sustaining and carry on for years, to provide the impetus to make a difference.” The scheme has previously run successfully in Keighley and Bradford East, West Yorkshire in partnership with ROC.
If words aren't your thing and you'd prefer to make a short video please cover the questions within this form (Video to be no longer than 5 minutes) and email to
daveandpennyroc@gmail.comOrganisations, groups and individuals can continue to apply for the grant to support ideas across North Somerset. A Dragon’s Den style panel will judge the entries and funding upwards of £500 could be granted to successful applications. All funding must be used by 31 March 2021.
