Hope Centre and Dreamscheme to feature in neighbourhood policing roadshow

TWO award-winning community initiatives in Minehead will take centre stage at a pioneering Somerset County Council and Avon and Somerset Police event this week.
The Hope Centre project and Dreamscheme are among successful schemes being showcased through a ‘Safer Stronger Neighbourhood’ roadshow.
The partnership event, organised by the county council and the police, is the first of its kind and aims to influence the future of neighbourhood policing.
It takes place on Thursday morning at Bridgwater and Albion Rugby Club, and will bring together police, local authority councillors and officers, and other agencies to share information about some of the most inspirational community work going on in Somerset.
The Hope Centre is run by volunteers through Minehead Baptist Church and provides drop-in facilities for hard to reach members of the local community, such as the homeless, alcoholics, and drug abusers.
It offers support, hot food and drinks, and help in avoiding reoffending, making medical appointments, and linking with other agencies.
Finance for the project has been provided by the county council via the Somerset West Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.
It won an award last November for an outstanding contribution to reducing re-offending.
The Dreamscheme initiative, on the Seaward Way estate, enables young people to carry out community projects to earn points which are then exchanged for activities and trips.
The projects, such as community clean-ups and gardening, have helped engage young people on the estate and reduce incidents of anti-social behaviour.
Dreamscheme won the Neighbourhood Watch youth award and a commendation in the police’s children and young people awards for its contribution to the local community.
County council leader, Councillor Jill Shortland, and Avon and Somerset Police Authority chairman Dr Moira Hamlin, will give presentations at the roadshow and take part in a question and answer session to generate ideas on how to improve neighbourhood policy through partnership working.
The county’s community safety portfolio holder, Councillor Henry Hobhouse, said: “We are committed to providing safer communities for all our residents, through partnership work and prevention.
“This event will showcase some of the many excellent examples of inspirational projects which are having a real impact on improving community safety and reducing fear of crime.
“It is also an opportunity for people to contribute new ideas that could influence the future of neighbourhood policing.”
Head of the Somerset West police district, Chief Superintendent Sandy Padgett, said: “Neighbourhood policing has come along in leaps and bounds over the last year and I am really proud of how my teams have worked together with partners and communities to tackle local issues in a proactive and positive way.
“The ‘Safer Stronger Neighbourhood’ roadshow will allow us to showcase just some of this work and kick start a productive 2009.”

Anniversary for community youth volunteer scheme

THE first anniversary is being celebrated this month for a community youth development programme in Minehead which has seen youngsters rewarded for volunteering to help out in their local community.
‘Dreamscheme - Seaward Way’, the Minehead branch of the national Dreamscheme initiative, is run by Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) from the Avon and Somerset Constabulary and youth service staff from Somerset County Council, with support from many other local and national organisations.
It encourages young people to earn points through a series of community-based work projects, including litter-picking and gardening.
Earning 10 points for every hour spent on a community project, the youths can redeem their points on social activities.
One recent Dreamscheme trip invited young people to redeem 15 of their points in return for a free game of ten pin bowling.
The project was established in Seaward Way last autumn by PCSOs Rachel Cutler and Luisa Skinner and it continues to engage local young people in community-based activities as well as holding a weekly youth club for the over-10s.
The October school half-term is a busy week for the Dreamscheme, and young people can take part in activities such as a gardening project in the nearby playground and baking cakes for a senior citizens’ coffee morning.
Their efforts will be rewarded with a volunteer-run Halloween party on October 31.
PCSO Luisa Skinner said: “The Dreamscheme project is really popular among young people in Minehead.
“They feel great about contributing to improving the area they live in and enjoy the benefits of the rewards.
“Local residents are all very supportive of the scheme and one year on, it is still going from strength to strength.”
County council Minehead ward Councillor Ian Galloway, who contributed £500 to the project from his community budget, said: “The Dreamscheme is a great outlet for young people in the area, and I am very grateful for the hard work and commitment that our local PCSOs and youth workers have put into this project.
“I have been very happy to make a contribution via our community budget to this valuable scheme for our younger citizens.”
County council community safety portfolio holder, Councillor Henry Hobhouse, said: “We are committed to providing services for local people at all stages of their lives, and have contributed £475,000 of funding for the county’s PCSOs.
“The Dreamscheme is an excellent example of the council and the police encouraging young people to release their potential for the benefit of the community as a whole.”

• Our photograph shows youngsters on the Seaward Way estate being briefed on a litter pick earlier in the year. Photo submitted.

Litter and leaf picks keep youths occupied on autumn evenings

YOUNG members of the Dreamscheme project operating in the Seaward Way area of Minehead have been earning plenty of points by cleaning up litter and leaves on their estate.
They have been out and about on every Tuesday evening this month, braving the wind and rain, and have filled more 20 bags with the rubbish they have cleared.
Scheme co-ordinator Debbie Fitzpatrick said: “We now have activities planned leading up until Christmas, including hotdogs and a fireworks display, Christmas shopping, and an X Factor singing competition.”
During next week’s school half-term holiday, the youngsters will be baking their own cakes and taking them along to a senior citizens’ coffee morning and chatting with the elderly people, to earn even more points.
Dreamscheme rewards young people for helping in the community by awarding them points which can be used for treats such as trips to football matches or to go swimming.

• Our photograph shows some of the youngsters who have been giving up their evenings to collect litter and leaves at Seaward Way. Photo submitted.

Good behaviour by youngsters is rewarded by Dreamscheme

POLICE have praised the success of a scheme in Minehead which rewards youngsters for good behaviour on a housing estate.
Teenagers who act as ‘better citizens’ on the development off Seaward Way can enjoy activities such as fishing trips and days out at the Alton Towers theme park.
The Dreamscheme initiative was launched nationally last year with Home Office funding to help cut down youth crime.
Minehead police Inspector Carol Pearce said incidents of bad behaviour in Minehead had fallen greatly since the scheme started.
She said: “About 12 months ago, we were looking at 150 to 200 reports of anti-social behaviour for that period of the year.
“In the second period of the year since we started that process, we are looking at less than 10.
“It is demonstrating that if we do work with young people and the wider community on a one-to-one basis and people get to know who their beat managers are and who the young people are, if we work together and have community cohesion, we will have a better society for all of us to benefit from.”
‘Dreamscheme - Seaward Way’ celebrates its first anniversary this month.

• Our photograph shows some of the youngsters from the estate who were taken to see a Football League match at Plymouth Argyle in February of this year. Photo submitted.

Debbie earns respect for dedication to estate's youth inclusion project

A PRESENTATION has been made to a woman whose work with young people in the community has helped Avon and Somerset Police to reduce crime in West Somerset.
Debbie Fitzpatrick has co-ordinated the Dreamscheme community youth development project on the Seaward Way estate, in Minehead, since it started last October.
She received a certificate as part of Neighbourhood Watch Week from Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen.
The scheme, based on the concept of work, points and trips, aims to develop a sense of ownership in young people which prevents anti-social behaviour and encourages positive community spirit through work and rewards.
When police set up the Alcombe neighbourhood beat team, a major concern of local residents was anti-social behaviour and lack of respect among young people on the Seaward Way estate.
Police consultated with Knightstone Housing Association, the local youth service, and West Somerset’s crime and disorder reduction partnership, and a Dreamscheme was suggested, with Mrs Fitzpatrick immediately stepping forward to co-ordinate it.
Dreamscheme’s first activity was a clean-up day in October of last year, with residents encouraged to dispose of unwanted, non-recyclable items.
It proved so popular that extra skips had to be provided.
Young people supported by the local agencies helped to clear litter from the residential area as well the estate’s multi-use games area, making it available for soccer coaching by a Plymouth Argyle football coach, with a match at the end of the session as a clear example of ‘work with a reward’.
The second event was a two-day arts project with professional artist and sculptor Rick Ellam making a set while the children made puppets, provided the story, and put on a performance for their parents.
Again, it was so successful that the arts project continues to be held on Tuesday nights with children being collected by minibus driven by local beat manager PC Steve Cutler.
The youth service provides staff and a number of children from the estate attend.
The current project is to design wooden boards for the multi-use games area to help ensure its future.
Sponsorship from local businesses in the form of money and materials helps to support the project.
In January, the children held a car washing event, with equipment provided by the local fire brigade.
Later in the month, Dreamscheme children gardened on the estate, clearing beds and laying a lorry-load of mulch.
The points earned were then used in February when some of the children went to watch Plymouth Argyle play against Hull City in the Football League and despite Plymouth losing 1-0, they enjoyed their day out.
Also in February, the younger children had a swimming trip to the Quantock Lodge Pool combined with a trip to McDonalds, and later in the month many of them cleaned up leaves and litter within the multi-use games area in preparation for a half-term arts project.
After two hours, they had collected 20 bags of rubbish, earned lots of points, and made a real difference to the look of the area.
Mr Hansen said: “Debbie is the central point of contact for the young people on the estate and her role is central to the success of the project.
“It is for this, her hard work and enthusiasm, that she and the ‘team’ have been nominated.”

• Our photograph shows Debbie Fitzpatrick receiving her certificate from Assistant Chief Constable Rod Hansen. Photo submitted.

Smart new look for Dreamscheme community volunteers

DREAMSCHEME volunteers and young people in the Seaward Way area of Minehead will now look smarter than ever, thanks to the support of local printing firm, Porlock Print.
PCSOs Luisa Skinner and Rachel Cutler met with Porlock Print boss Gary Needs and came up with a design for a polo shirt for all volunteers and children to wear when carrying out their activities and tasks in the community.
The Dreamscheme project is planning a fun day with sports coaching and re-opening of the revamped multi-use games area at Sandpiper Close, on Friday April 18.
During the past three months, young people and volunteers have been redecorating the boards that surround the area, and with support from Magna West Somerset and Knightstone Housing Associations, West Somerset Council, and police, new lines will be painted for football and basketball, and new football goals and basketball nets will be fitted.
Funding for the Dreamscheme project has also been received from local businesses and agencies.

• Our photograph shows Gary Parker with some of the Dreamscheme volunteers. Photo submitted.