Young people demonstrated how they spend their time supporting the local community to tackle anti-social behaviour when Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Sue Mountstevens visited South Gloucestershire and attended the ‘Friday Night Project’.
The Project was set up in 2009 by Hanham and Hanham Abbots Parish Council. It was initiated after several groups of youths had begun gathering in public open spaces around the local area engaging in anti-social behaviour and minor criminal activity.
After multiple complaints, a public meeting was hosted. The meeting was also attended by local support organisations including ASB Co-ordinators, Councillors, Youth Leaders, the police force etc, which discussed an alternative option for the young people.
The Friday Night Project takes place every Friday at Hanham High School in the Sports Hall between 7pm and 9pm. Young people are encouraged to come along and join in with the sessions taken by coaches to engage in various sports including basketball, cricket, netball, volleyball and football.
Speaking after her visit on Friday 25th January, Ms Mountstevens said:
“It was great to visit the Hanham Friday Night Project and see the young people making use of the sports facilities at Hanham High School this evening.”
“This project is a real success story; thanks to the hard and sustained work by many partners and the joint funding from the Hanham and Hanham Abbots Parish Councils, the young people of Hanham have a safe place to go and be with their friends on Friday evenings.”
“For me the figures speak for themselves – since the introduction of the project there has been an over 60% reduction in criminal damage.”
Ms Mountstevens returns to Hanham on Thursday 7th February when she will be holding a drop-in consultation event on her draft Police and Crime Plan at Hanham Youth Club between 7pm and 8:30pm.
