Warwickshire Against Crime

Nuneaton & Bedworth Leisure Trust is awarded £3,600 and will use the monies to run sports camps across Nuneaton & Bedworth aimed at diverting young people away from anti-social behaviour.

Youth Inclusion Team Leader, Stuart Gealy said "We are very excited about it and to be honest with you we were really chuffed we got there with the grant.

"Our main aim is give young people something positive and healthy to do, diverting them away from nuisance crime and drug and solvent misuse.

Stuart Gealy continued, "This money will make a huge difference because it will part fund a mobile generator and lighting mast and means we can run sports sessions even when it's dark outside. We can drive out with the mobile lighting and start the activities wherever the young people want us to go. There's no set area or time. We can be up tomorrow night and do some sports with you. It's very informal.

"To date we have run some football camps in the Camphill and Galley Common wards of Nuneaton. Those positive activities assisted in reducing youth related nuisance in Edward Street for example, in the first three months by 50% with up to 40 young people aged 8-20 attending sessions at a time."

The project also aims to support young people in achieving coaching qualifications and to set up teams to be part of a local football league.

Stuart added "Local officers in Nuneaton and Bedworth are also actively involved and two of the beat officers are going to do the FA level one football coaching certificate which is I think what community policing is all about. "

PS Wayne Cooke said "The coaching qualification is a direct result of funding by Warwickshire County Council and is part of our engagement strategy. We're here to build sustainable relationships, being part of the community rather than just policing it.