A Burntwood-based gardening service that helps to prevent crime has been awarded a People Power Fund grant from Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Ellis.
Cherry Orchard Garden Services (COGS) has been given £2,750 for its ongoing service in maintaining the gardens of vulnerable, often-isolated residents throughout Burntwood, Chasetown and Chase Terrace.
Overgrown or untidy gardens can often be a sign for criminals, who will purposely target such properties and the vulnerable residents who live there.
Established in 2002, COGS also provides job opportunities for people with learning disabilities by employing them as gardeners. Not only does this provide regular work, but the chance to develop skills and confidence to enter more regular employment. The benefits are two-fold; vulnerable residents feel safer in their homes and those doing the gardening feel more integrated into the community.
Currently, the service employs 15 gardeners, all of whom have learning disabilities, who maintain between 120-150 gardens per week, as well as public gardens and community spaces.
As part of his commitment to local communities, the Commissioner is providing £500,000 in 2014/15 through the People Power Fund in the form of grants of between £100 and £3,000.
The fund is supporting locally-driven community safety activities in communities throughout Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
The People Power Fund is part of £2.5 million Mr Ellis is providing to local areas for 2014/15. The Commissioner’s Locality Deal Fund goes to local district and borough councils to help make their area safer. Meanwhile, the Commissioner’s Proceeds of Crime Fund is seeing Staffordshire Police put 100 per cent of money, raised from seized criminal assets, go back into local communities through grants of between £3,000 and £15,000.
Mr Ellis said: “”By providing more money than ever before to spend on the ground, in local communities, we have seen new ideas to cut crime and anti-social behaviour, helping make local people safer and importantly, helping them feel safer.
“Often, it means dealing with the causes, rather than just the effects of crime and bad behaviour, so issues can be tackled earlier. Police can’t do the job on their own and I hope the funding I’m providing through the People Power, Proceeds of Crime and Locality Deal Fund will make a big difference for years to come.
“Whilst working in my last role at Staffordshire County Council I had the privilege to launch this service. It’s great to return here and see how far things have come along – to see the work these people do and the passion with which they do it is fantastic.”
Brenda Tunstall (pictured), Team Leader at COGS, said: “For a number of years we’ve worked with the area’s PCSOs who also recognise the extreme value of vulnerable residents’ gardens looking attractive and those with learning-disabilities gain social recognition and acceptance in their communities.
“Our plan is to broaden the areas where we can provide this service and we’d love to establish teams in other parts of the county – this funding will help us to increase the number of vulnerable residents we can support in the community.
“We would encourage people with a learning disability who enjoys working outdoors, being part of a team, gaining independence to get in touch. We would love to see them being part of the COGS’ workforce.”
The window for the next round of applications for People Power Funding opens on Friday 1 August and runs until Sunday 14 September.
These could range from Good Neighbour Schemes to provide reassurance in a community, the introduction of a local club or activity for young people, through to the installation of security measures at a local community venue used by residents.
People Power applications need to be sponsored by the group’s local Neighbourhood Police Officer or Police Community Support Officer. More details, including application forms and an animated video about the fund, are available now at www.staffordshire-pcc.gov.uk/fund
Successful projects will deliver what’s important to local people based on the four priorities set out in the Commissioner’s Safer, Fairer, United Communities Strategy – tackling the root causes of crime through early intervention, supporting victims and witnesses better, reducing reoffending and increasing public confidence.
For more information on COGS visit www.cherryorchardgardeningservices, call 01543 676 443 or email cogsgardening@btconnect.com
