Helping to tackle reoffending
Burnley FC in the Community were granted £12,680 to expand their ‘It’s Your Turf’ and ‘Premier League Kicks’ projects.
‘It’s Your Turf’ delivers targeted activities which work with people already in the criminal justice system. Young people are referred via partner agencies and support them in avoiding a return to crime.
The ‘Premier League Kicks’ scheme delivers diversionary activity, with funding from the Commissioner helping to fund two new additional sessions to what is already being delivered, in the Colne and Padiham areas.
The Commissioner visited the Leisure Box in Brierfield to see one of the sessions being delivered and heard how the project is engaging people and making a real difference.
He said:
“It was great to hear how these projects are making a real difference in East Lancashire, both for the individuals being helped to avoid getting involved in the criminal justice system and wider communities.
“Policing alone cannot prevent people reoffending and this opportunity to distribute further funding allows us to build on this work, which is helping turn people’s lives around and making Lancashire a safer place, which can only be a good thing.
“Tackling crime and reoffending is a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan and supporting initiatives that help people to move away from a life of crime and break the cycle of reoffending makes a real difference in their lives and in our neighbourhoods.”
Michael Colquhoun, Head of Inclusion at Burnley FC in the Community said:
“It was a pleasure to host the Police and Crime Commissioner and to show him our facilities and programmes.
“The funding received has allowed us to expand our current PL Kicks offer into target areas as well as allowing us to deliver educational workshops to participants. It has also allowed us to expand our It’s Your Turf mentoring programme to work with more young people at risk of entering the Criminal Justice System or indeed already in it.
“Our PL Kicks programme alone engages over 650 young people per week and is delivered in over 10 different areas across Burnley and Pendle.
“Both programmes are free of charge and address a real need in our community to tackle issues around youth crime”.
