Covid casualty could return with help from PCC’s fund

• The award-winning St Paul’s Activities Community Events Team (SPACE) is among the latest groups to receive a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC)
• its plan to set-up a youth club in the St. Paul’s Community Hub in Manser Street, Cheltenham, was one of 18 projects selected by the Commissioner’s Fund
•  PCC Chris Nelson said, “The SPACE initiative can offer the sort of activities and opportunities that will occupy young people, keep them off the streets and away from anti-social behaviour”.
• The SPACE scheme is one of a number of projects in Cheltenham supported by the Commissioner’s Fund. Some cover Gloucestershire as a whole, others are specific to Gloucester, Stroud, the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean.

The loss of their ‘Kids’ Club’ was one of the Pandemic’s unfortunate side effects. But residents now have fresh hope they can launch a new youth club in St. Paul’s, Cheltenham.

The award-winning St Paul’s Activities Community Events Team (SPACE) is among the latest groups to receive a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).

The Commissioner’s Fund supports organisations with projects that aim to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in their local communities. SPACE is one of those who successfully applied for a share of the £75,000 made available this year.

Following a rigorous application process, its plan to set-up a youth club in the St. Paul’s Community Hub in Manser Street, was one of 18 projects selected, adding to more than 500 supported by the Commissioner’s Fund since it was established in 2012.

SPACE Chair Sarah Godfrey said, “Pre-Covid, there was provision for children in the form of a ‘Kids’ Club’, but this has since disbanded. Since Covid, we have seen a significant rise in the amount of anti-social behaviour, and some criminal activity, which takes place primarily on the green space at St Paul’s Walk by various youths of different ages.

“Although the project is still in the pipeline, we are planning to set-up a youth club in the St Pauls Community Hub on Manser Street for the St Pauls Walk area and surrounding community. The aim of the ‘Proud of St Pauls Walk’ project will be to educate youths living in the local area on the impacts of anti-social behaviour and also to teach them to have respect for the area where they are living.

“We have been raising money by organising fetes and other events and are extremely grateful for the support of the PCC because we want to educate the children in our local area on what anti-social behaviour is and its impact on people’s lives, with a view to them not causing it when they grow up.

“Everyone in the neighbourhood will benefit from less anti-social behaviour. The community as a whole will feel safer to mix with others and have activities that will keep our children busy and keep them out of trouble. As well as diverting them away from causing anti-social behaviour and other potential criminal activities”.

The SPACE scheme is one of a number of projects in Cheltenham supported by the Commissioner’s Fund. Some cover Gloucestershire as a whole, others are specific to Gloucester, Stroud, the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean.

PCC Chris Nelson said, “For the current funding cycle, I wanted to focus on activities that will help keep young people from falling into crime and out of the clutches of criminal gangs.

“The SPACE initiative can offer exactly the sort of activities and opportunities that will occupy young people, keep them off the streets and away from anti-social behaviour”.