HAMPSHIRE police are supporting more community groups to make the county safer.

Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Hayes has awarded nearly £36,000 in grants to 11 crime reduction projects.

They include group sessions with vulnerable families and exprisoner rehabilitation schemes.

The money is part of the fourth and final round of the commissioner’s Protecting People and Places Fund.

Grants of up to £5,000 were on offer to individuals and groups who could demonstrate their projects match the aims of the Police and Crime Plan in Hampshire.

Mr Hayes said: “This past year, the Protecting People and Places Fund has enabled me to support a total of 36 projects across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to deliver crime reducing initiatives within our communities.

“I’m sure their combined contributions will enhance the lives of those who directly benefit from their work and their efforts in making our communities safer places for everyone.

“The objective of this commissioning programme is to encourage the development of stronger communities that are more resilient to crime.

“I also want to see service providers working much closer across the eight tareas of the strategy, which is aimed at reducing crime, reducing reoffending and improving victim and witness experiences.

“By providing stable funding, I hope to ensure projects deliver long-term outcomes.”

Mr Hayes is set to launch a new Small Grant Support Fund in April to continue support.

For more details visit hampshire-pcc.gov.uk.http://hampshire-pcc.gov.uk

Successful Bids

OUT of 37 applications, the successful bids were as follows:

• Southampton – £4,000 – Singh Sabha Gurdwara (Sikh Council Southampton Gurdwaras): Vaisaki, sports, cultural awareness

• Southampton – £4,000 – GottaBe!/T/A tomaszdyl: developing relations between police and ethnic minorities in Hampshire

 Southampton – £3,000 – Catch22: Catch22 group work sessions to vulnerable females

• Southampton – £4,000 – The Waterfall: The Waterfall’s structured day recovery programme

• Fareham – £1,750 – Fareham CSP: Fareham Mediation Service

• Gosport – £1,190 – Gosport Community Safety Team: Safer Gosport Community Day

• Winchester – £4,000 – Changing Tunes for ex-prisoners

• Portsmouth – £2,000 – Abijah Trust: community youth football league programmes

• Newport IOW – £4,000 – Newport Parish Council: Church Litten youth shelter

• Niton IOW – £4,000 – Niton Methodist Church: Niton youth work

• Portsmouth – £4,000 – Motiv8: DIVERT Project.