News

Read the latest news about the Safer Hastings Partnership, our recent achievements and new initiatives here…

£30k to tackle underage drinking

THE SAFER Hastings Partnership this month secured an additional £30,000 from the Home Office to tackle underage drinking. The funding was made available for activity seeking to reduce the harms caused by alcohol to the community as a result of associated crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. The Safer Hastings Partnership (SHP) bid for the maximum amount of £30,000 to enhance Sussex Police’s Operation Abstain. In recent years, underage drinking has emerged as an area of concern among Hastings residents, including young people themselves, who have used the SHP Schools Competitions to focus on this issue. The money from the Home Office will be used to fund a variety of projects over the next three months, including: Alcohol education in schools - this will include drama workshops and advice for parents; Bottle-tagging - to enable Trading Standards and Sussex Police to identify the off licenses that sell to underage drinkers; Additional Test Purchasing Operations by Trading Standards; and Additional alcohol outreach by the Under-19 Substance Misuse Service. Artwork by Sasha Giles, William Parker Sports College

Family intervention

THE HASTINGS Family Intervention Project (FIP), run by CRI, launched in January 2006 with funding from the Government’s Respect Task Force.

Its recently published Impact Report shows that it is making a significant impact in supporting local families with very challenging problems.

So far, 12 families have been through FIP, which provides intensive one-to-one work with members of each family on a daily basis, addressing needs such as offending, school attendance, and education, employment and training opportunities.

Mike Fagan, community safety manager for the Safer Hastings Partnership, said, “Referrals made to the FIP team are the most challenging that local agencies have to respond to. In many cases, they are those who are having the biggest impact on reducing the quality of life for those in their neighbourhood.

“Restoring some stability in these families does seem to have achieved good results in tackling some of the long-term issues in our community.”

For more information about the FIP, visit: www.crinet.co.uk

Commendation for Digger

A HASTINGS Police Drug Development & Outreach Worker has been given a prestigious commendation.

Bryan “Digger” Graves, who is based at Hastings Police Station, received recognition from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The commendation was “for his outstanding commitments to drug outreach work”. The certificate presented to Digger states, “He has generated real partnership engagement in supporting people’s health and vulnerability, and in doing so has significantly reduced the likelihood of reoffending.” Detective Chief Inspector Mark Ling nominated Digger for the award. He said, “Digger’s commendation is well deserved - his commitment to tackling drugs and changing people’s lives is beyond the call of duty. I’m very pleased that he has been recognised by ACPO.”

Digger said, “I am honoured to be given this commendation by my peers for what I consider to be a well worthwhile job, which I enjoy and to which I am totally committed.”

The award was presented to Digger in Belfast on Tuesday 18th November by Chairman of ACPO, Tim Hollis, and the citation was read out by Assistant Chief Constable Jeremy Paine.

Budding young artists to design cover for alcohol booklet

LOCAL secondary school and college students are invited to design the cover for a new booklet on under-age drinking in the Safer Hastings Partnership’s Art Competition 2009. Prizes include digital cameras, digital photo frames and gift cards for students, and digital cameras for their schools.

Following the success of the SHP’s previous schools competitions, which have won a prestigious Home Office Tilley Award for engaging with young people on community safety issues, we are now launching this new competition.

Students aged 11-19 attending secondary schools in Hastings & St Leonards, Hastings College and Bexhill College are invited to design the front cover with drawings, cartoons, photos or computer graphics. Specific instructions as to the title and sub-heading that MUST be used can be found at www.saferhastings.co.uk, along with all terms and conditions.

The deadline is 4.30pm on Friday 27th February 2009 and there are two categories: secondary schools and colleges/6th forms. The prizes in each category are the same. They are: Winning school + winning college – Digital camera (each);
1st prize – Digital camera + digital photo frame; 2nd prize – Digital photo frame; 3rd prize – £25 Jessops gift card.

Chief Inspector Andy Gooch, chair of the SHP, said, “The Safer Hastings Partnership was recently allocated £30,000 funding from the Home Office to tackle under-age drinking with a range of measures, one of which is involving young people themselves in communicating the dangers of under-age drinking to their peers and their parents.”

There is no limit to the number of entries per pupil, but all entries must be submitted on plain white A4 paper with a blank background, portrait rather than landscape, to: SHP Art Competition 2009: Alcohol, Natalie Williams, Safer Hastings Partnership, c/o Hastings Borough Council, 3rd Floor Aquila House, Breeds Place, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3UY no later than 4.30pm on Friday 27th February 2009.

The awards ceremony will be held in the Sussex Hall at the White Rock Theatre at 6.30pm on Wednesday 25th March 2009.