Over half a million pounds seized from criminals by police is set to benefit West Yorkshire communities

The Mayor of West Yorkshire’s Safer Communities Fund, uses the money recovered by police, and gives it to local groups working to make their neighbourhoods safer.

Mayor Tracy Brabin hosted an awards event at Wakefield performing arts college, CAPA, where 73 projects from across the region collected cheques worth a total of £506,097.

Ms Brabin said: “We want every community in West Yorkshire to thrive and be safe. To do so, we are empowering local organisations to help their neighbourhoods through money taken from the hands of criminals.

"These projects, right across the region, are making their local areas feel safer, and it's great that we can come together and recognise their efforts."

The theme of the grant round was ‘Safer Places and Thriving Communities’, a key priority in the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan with support going to a variety of projects including The Egalitarian, who are using its funding to deliver a spiking and sexual violence awareness course to bar staff and management in Wakefield and Unmasked Mental Health, who are launching a weekly mental health hub in Calderdale to support people who are homeless or vulnerable.

Della Claydon, co-founder of the Egalitarian in Wakefield, said: “The funding from the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund will allow us to improve safety standards in Wakefield by introducing a Safe Place campaign, creating a safeguarding ethos, and empowering victims to report incidents to venues and deter perpetrators.“We in turn hope to increase criminal justice outcomes and make systemic change to the current narrative towards victims.”

West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable John Robins, said: “I really welcome this latest round of grants that is provided by the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund.

“It means that the seized proceeds of criminality can be put to good use through its distribution to these deserving community groups.

“Projects like these play a vital role in preventing crime, protecting vulnerable people and reassuring our communities across West Yorkshire.

“The projects supported across West Yorkshire are inspirational and it is great to see the work they are doing in our communities.”