Funds available to help tackle organised crime in Liverpool and Knowsley

Community clubs and groups working in areas of Liverpool and Knowsley are being given chance this week to bid for up to £5,000 funding in a participatory budget event to help tackle serious and organised crime.

The third of four community café events for local organisations to access a £100,000 funding pot as part of the EVOLVE initiative will take place tomorrow (Thursday 25 May) between 10am and 12pm at Dovecot Multi-Activity Centre, Back Dovecot Place, Liverpool, L14 9BA. 

The participatory budget scheme, called Live Now, focuses on specific areas of Liverpool and Knowsley and is being run by Knowsley Council, Liverpool City Council, Mersey Care, One Knowsley and Merseyside Police and is intended to strengthen community resilience by boosting funding to local clubs and groups.

The community café event is one of many initiatives taking place in the Dovecot, Longview, Yew Tree and Huyton areas following the launch of the EVOLVE project to disrupt and deter gangs from operating and to make the areas places people love to live, work and visit.

Those applying for the fund can be from either a voluntary or community group and can be based elsewhere but must benefit or be accessible to residents in the Dovecot, Longview, Yewtree, Huyton and immediate surrounding areas.

They must also ensure their bid has a connection to at least one of the following:

• Reducing or addressing crime and anti-social behaviour

• Protecting vulnerable people from becoming victims of crime and anti-social behaviour

• Supporting victims of crime or anti-social behaviour

• Tackling County Lines

Successful applicants will be invited to attend the Live Now final participatory budget event on Saturday, 24 June 2023 where they will pitch their bid in a two-minute presentation to local residents, who will allocate funds for the projects they believe will have the biggest impact in their community.

Sergeant Nicola Parsons from the EVOLVE policing team said: “The participatory budget fund aims to support local groups to provide activities and resources which will ultimately assist in reducing and preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, tackling County Lines and protecting vulnerable people within our communities.

“The idea behind the scheme is that community groups apply for funding and residents make decisions together about how the funds will be spent to best help improve where they live.

“Community groups can receive funding to further develop existing projects or start new ones and bid for a sum of money, which is usually delivered in a fun Dragon’s Den style where the community get to vote on who they want the funds to go to.

“Not only does this ensure that funding is going towards what the community really needs but it also builds strong links between groups who continue to work together long after the event, providing longevity in projects and shared resources which benefits the community.”

Members of the community and potential applicants are invited to come along and have a ­­­­­­­cup of tea and chat with the team, get advice on how to fill in the application and discuss ideas about what the community needs.

Community clubs and groups interested in accessing the fund should email
[email protected] for more information.