Safer North Hampshire

Changes to community safety in North Hampshire

David Lipscombe — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 08:38:45 +0000

The local authority response to community safety is now managed in-house by each local authority from the Safer North Hampshire Community Safety Partnership.

You can contact the teams on the details below to talk about community safety matters in your area.

Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council
Tel: 01256 845245
Email: community.safety@basingstoke.gov.uk

Hart District Council
Tel: 01252 774476
Email: communitysafety@hart.gov.uk

Rushmoor Borough Council
Tel:01252 398220
Email: communitysafety@rushmoor.gov.uk

The Safer North Hampshire Community Safety Partnership continues to operate across the north east of Hampshire and moving forward this website will updated with useful documents and information as and when necessary.

Launch of Love Your Local Heroes campaign to celebrate the work of local voluntary groups

Mel Francis — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 13:30:01 +0000

A campaign is being launched today, at the start of National Volunteer Week, to encourage people to show their appreciation for the work of local charities across Aldershot and Farnborough, which provide essential support and help shape society for the better.

In these unprecedented times, when people are applauding the NHS and other essential workers for their efforts, the campaign aims to highlight the many local charitable organisations which are fighting for survival at a time when they may soon be needed the most.

With fund-raising events cancelled and meetings suspended, many small, local groups, some of which support young people such as Brownies and Scouts, and some supporting elderly and disabled people, are struggling to survive, or to retain the experienced volunteers they need to ensure the service remains available after the lockdown has been lifted.

As a result, a campaign, called Love your Local Heroes, is being launched by Rushmoor Voluntary Services, supported by Rushmoor Borough Council, to ask everyone to show their love for local organisations. This could be through continuing subscriptions to groups or by donating money saved from petrol costs, take-away coffees or lunches directly to local community groups.

Rushmoor Voluntary Services champions volunteering and supports hundreds of voluntary or community groups working in the borough, as well as managing projects such as home-help, community transport and dial-a-ride.

Donna Bone, RVS Chief Executive, said: “Volunteers were doing lots of great work before the Coronavirus lockdown, and we want these groups and volunteers to still be there afterwards.

“Our supporters would normally be fund-raising, running events and holding meetings and all these small subscriptions and donations add up, to enable them to continue operating. Now, they cannot happen, and many are experiencing a steep drop in income, and may have to close.

“We know that people have to be careful with their money, especially if they are not able to work, but we hope that people value our local groups, and we would be so grateful if any money saved from seven weeks of saved petrol costs or lunches could be donated to a voluntary group of their choice to help them continue their vital work.

“Your support has never been needed more, and we ask everyone to donate to a charity close to their heart, and help our local heroes continue carrying out their vital support in the community.”

Advice for young people at risk of domestic abuse at home

Mel Francis — Tue, 19 May 2020 14:33:54 +0000

Young people who fear they may be at risk of domestic abuse at home are being advIsed of steps to take, both in an emergency, and for longer-term support.

With families still quarantined at home due to Coronavirus and the stresses of finances and home-schooling, incidents of domestic abuse are increasing. For many people, it may be difficult to access help and support as their movements could be being monitored or controlled.

Thousands of children* across Hampshire are likely to be living in abusive households, and will be unaware how to keep safe or how to deal with these difficult situations. Children and young people may feel they have to stop a fight, but this can be very dangerous with many thousands being injured through trying to intervene.

Karen Evans, of the North East Hampshire Domestic Abuse Forum said: “It is important that children stay safe when a row begins to escalate. They may want to stop the violence and protect the parent who is being abused but this may put them at risk of being hurt too.

“Instead of trying to stop a fight, a child or young person should try to find a safe place in their home or garden where they can hide and call the police for help from a mobile phone. Calls to the police are free and the police will respond to incidents of domestic abuse.”

Non-abusive parents are encouraged to speak to their children about what is happening and to discuss a safety plan with them, including ensuring that they know how to call the police, as well as reassuring the children that they aren’t responsible for another person’s behaviour.

A safety plan can include deciding who would be a good person to speak to about the situation, as well as ways to safely alert a trusted adult that an incident is taking place and they need some help.

Specialist children and young people’s domestic abuse advocates are available to help with safety planning and with emotional support. In Hampshire, this support is delivered by Stop Domestic Abuse, who can be contacted on 0330 0165112 or by emailing info@stopdomesticabuse.uk. There is also information for children online through hideout.org.uk and Childline.

Neighbours and friends are urged to look out for families, especially if they are aware of previous domestic abuse or tensions in the household. Try to find opportunities to regularly check in with the children and see if they are doing OK, reminding them that support is there for them, and to contact the police if they have concerns.

*around 16,290 homes in Hampshire (excluding Portsmouth and Southampton) are estimated to be experiencing domestic abuse incidents.

Ends

Coronavirus and Domestic Abuse

David Lipscombe — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:15:41 +0000

For many people home is not a safe place. With an increasing number of people working from home, self or household isolating and social distancing, as well as uncertainty over the implications on finances and jobs and the loss of regular routines, there could be increased risks within the home through domestic abuse.

The domestic abuse support services have adapted the way they deliver support, to be able to be as accessible as possible by telephone and email (if it is safe to do so) and there is also a wealth of information about safety planning and options online. Safety planning involves thinking through different scenarios as to how a domestic incident may begin so that you can be prepared and able to react to different situations. This can include identifying a safe place in your home where you can call the police, avoiding particularly dangerous areas of the house and ensuring you have access to a mobile phone to call for help (click here for more information).

For those who are aware that a family member, friend, neighbour or work colleague are living with domestic abuse, if it is safe to do so, please speak to the person and discuss how you could support them in keeping safe. This could involve checking with them regularly so that they are not isolated from support and discussing how they could let you know if they are in danger and need your help, for example by them texting you a code word to let you know they are, or aren’t safe.

Useful Local Contact Details
Stop Domestic Abuse (Hampshire): 0330 0165112; email advice@stopdomesticabuse.uk
Nepali domestic and sexual abuse service:07741 261387; email ask@citizensadvicerushmoor.org.uk ; www.citizensadvicerushmoor.org.uk
Hampton Trust (perpetrator interventions): 02380 009898; dapp.spoc@hamptontrust.cjsm.net; www.hamptontrust.org.uk
Basingstoke Housing Options: 01256 844844; www.basingstoke.gov.uk
Hart Council Housing Options: 01252 774420; www.hart.gov.uk
Rushmoor Council Housing Options: 01252 398634; www.rushmoor.gov.uk
Citizens Advice Rushmoor: 0300 3309046; www.citizensadvicerushmoor.org.uk (webchat and email options available)
Citizens Advice Hart: 03444 111 306; www.citizensadvicehart.org.uk
Citizens Advice Basingstoke: 0300 3309064 (for Basingstoke area) or 03444 111 306 (for Tadley area), www.basingstokeandtadleycab.org.uk

National Domestic Abuse Helplines and websites
24 hour Domestic Abuse helpline (female victims): 0808 2000247; www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Male Advice line: 0808 8010327; www.mensadviceline.org.uk
Mankind Initiative: 01823 334244; www.mankind.org.uk
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse helpline: 0800 9995428; www.galop.org.uk
Respect National helpline (perpetrator help): 0808 8024040; www.respect.uk.net

Help find the vandals who keep destroying a new kids’ play area in Farnborough

Mel Francis — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 13:42:06 +0000

Heartless vandals have again caused damage to a new children’s playground in Farnborough – for the second time in a week – before it has even opened to the public.
Local families looking forward to using the new playground in Moor Road have been left devastated after the new equipment and safer surfacing being installed was vandalised for the second time. Serious damage was caused to the contractors’ machinery last month.
The playground is the first part of a £470,000 project that will see a BMX pump track, a multi-use games area and outdoor exercise equipment installed at the site.
The new playground equipment, including swings, mini-trampolines, multi-play areas, sensory features and slides, has been funded by contributions from developers who have built new homes locally, with a quarter of the money donated by Prospect Estate Big Local (PEBL).
Councillor Maurice Sheehan, Head of Operational Services at Rushmoor Borough Council, said: “Vandals have caused thousands of pounds of damage to this new community facility and machinery, in separate attacks – devastating local people who have been looking forward to it opening shortly.”
Sgt Mark Woodhead, of Farnborough Police, said: “We are appealing for anyone with any information on any of these incidents of vandalism to contact Hampshire Constabulary on 101 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Anyone who sees someone damaging equipment on the site should call 999.”

Armed Forces Covenant Fund support announced for Nepali Domestic and Sexual Abuse Support Service

Mel Francis — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 13:35:16 +0000

Funding has been awarded to Rushmoor Citizens Advice, in partnership with Safer North Hampshire, to enable vital support for the Nepali community to continue for a further three years.
The money, from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund, will enable the Rushmoor Nepali Domestic and Sexual Abuse Support Service to continue to provide free, independent, confidential and impartial support to victims of abuse, who are serving personnel or family members of the Nepali and Gurkha communities in Aldershot and the surrounding area. Telephone support is also available worldwide to members of the armed forces.
The service has been in place since 2013, following recognition that specific cultural and language barriers existed for people in accessing help and support to keep them safe and informed of legal and civil options available to them.

As well as direct support, the service engages in many community events in order to increase awareness of domestic and sexual abuse and delivers presentations and training to practitioners.

To contact the service, call 01252 333618 or email ask@citizensadvicerushmoor.org.uk
In an emergency, contact Hampshire Constabulary on 999.

Safer North Hampshire March Newsletter

Karen Sinden — Sun, 01 Mar 2020 00:00:46 +0000

Click here for our March Newsletter, with information on police reporting, graffiti removal and fly-tipping in Basingstoke & Deane.

The writing is on the wall for graffiti!

Mel Francis — Tue, 11 Feb 2020 12:13:34 +0000

Residents are being urged to report any unsightly graffiti around Hart and Rushmoor so it can be removed as part of an anti-graffiti crackdown next month.

Pieces of graffiti are cleaned off walls, buildings and fences during Graffiti Focus Week, which takes place across Hart and Rushmoor annually, organised by the Safer North Hampshire community safety team.

Residents can report graffiti by email to
communitysafetyteam@communitysafetynh.org, by phone to 01252 774476 or online at www.fixmystreet.com.

The clean-up coincides with the Great British Spring Clean month, which highlights the negative effects it can have on communities and neighbourhoods. Graffiti on public property is legally considered as criminal damage and is expensive to remove.

Anyone with information about individuals causing graffiti is asked to report it to the police’s non-emergency 101 phone number or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Residents should consider reporting anyone they see in their community with aerosol cans.

Councillor Simon Bound, chairman of the Safer North Hampshire Partnership, said: “Communities are safer and stronger when people work together to improve things, and Graffiti Focus Week is a good example of that. I urge everyone to report any graffiti in their community so we can remove it to make our neighbourhoods better for all.”

The following tips may also help reduce the risk of graffiti to property:

· Plant climbing shrubs on exposed brick walls.
· Plant hedges in front of wooden fences.
· Install security lighting.
· Report any graffiti by calling 101.

• Graffiti Removal Week will be held across Hart and Rushmoor areas in Spring 2020. Why not help to improve the look of your local community by reporting graffiti on 01252 774476 or email communitysafetyteam@communitysafetynh.org
• For Basingstoke and Deane, report graffiti on www.basingstoke.

Safer North Hampshire February Newsletter

Karen Sinden — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 00:00:21 +0000

Click here for our February Newsletter, with information on reporting antisocial behaviour, courier fraud and graffiti removal.

Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales visits local domestic abuse forum

Mel Francis — Tue, 28 Jan 2020 12:24:04 +0000

The first domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales visited the Safer North Hampshire Domestic Abuse Forum recently, to hear from members how her role could positively improve frontline support for those affected by domestic abuse in North Hampshire.
Nicole Jacobs, who has worked for domestic abuse charities for two decades, was appointed last year to be responsible for championing victims of domestic abuse and recommending improvements to the Government.
She attended the Safer North Hampshire Domestic Abuse Forum meeting at Hart District Council and talked with forum members. She also provided an update on the progress of the Domestic Abuse Bill, which includes measures to end the cross-examination of victims by their abusers in the family courts and allow police and courts to intervene earlier where domestic abuse is suspected. She also outlined new powers which her role will have and the priority issues she is seeking to focus on during the next few months.
Members of the forum highlighted the importance of ensuring that domestic abuse services are truly inclusive and that all victims feel able to access help and support; education in schools and other settings such as health; issues with civil court hearings; the benefits of specialist domestic abuse courts and whether mapping services would be helpful.
Councillor Simon Bound, chairman of the Safer North Hampshire* Partnership, said: “We were delighted to welcome Nicole Jacobs to the meeting and she was keen to hear from members how she and the Government could provide frontline support to those affected by domestic abuse.”
The Safer North Hampshire Domestic Abuse Forum is comprised of representatives from the many local agencies that work with victims of domestic abuse who live and work in Rushmoor and Hart. The forum works towards improving the health, well-being and lives of the many victims of domestic abuse.
For more information on domestic abuse and local sources of support, visit: www.safernh.co.uk or email communitysafetyteam@communitysafetynh.org.
Notes to Editors: Pictured are Forum member Charlene Maine (left) and Nicole Jacobs (right).