Seeing the power of community coming together across Yeovil and in Bourneville, WSM

Posted at 11:51 on 26th March 2025 in Announcements

An image of a group of people in front of a tall beacon structure at night time

Last Friday, I spent some time in Dorset with the other Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) from Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire, attending the PCCs’ quarterly meetings, where we tackle some of the policing challenges around the South West. I then visited Yeovil Crime Reduction Team, which is deeply involved in the community and works across all sectors in Yeovil to deter and reduce crime. I also visited MHA South Somerset which supports the elderly in the community and, finished the day speaking at the Walk of Hope – an event to install a beacon of hope in Bournville, Weston-super-Mare.

Yeovil Crime Reduction Team (YCRT)

It was great to meet YCRT Coordinator Gareth Williams and his team of volunteers. I joined them for a walk about in Yeovil town centre, to see how they engage with some businesses and street drinkers. Talking to them I could feel their passion and commitment to this work and their community.

YCRT is a local not-for-profit community organisation whose focus is working with its members trying to make Yeovil a better and safer place for all during the day and evening. They do some fantastic work to break the cycle of repeat offending and social exclusion and to try to tackle the underlying issues. These could be mental health, drug abuse, homelessness, difficulties with welfare benefits, domestic violence or a number of these, or other issues. It is entirely self-funded by its 170 members from the day and night-time economies.

Pictured with (L-R) Darren Williams, Gareth Williams, Gail Smith, Rob Koranyi

MHA Communities-South Somerset

I also visited MHA Communities South Somerset, who are part of the national charity, Methodist Homes, a national housing provider. They provide services to older people living in the community, such as befriending, friendship groups, lunch clubs, outings, and movement classes to improve mobility and promote feelings of wellbeing. MHA Communities South Somerset are a recipient of my Crime Prevention Fund for their innovative and practical community-led project aimed at empowering older people by making them feel safer, more confident, and aware of their surroundings and more knowledgeable of services and support available. At their weekly lunch group in Yeovil, crime is a regular topic of discussion and group members were shocked as they shared stories of online scams that have affected people.

The project revolves around purchasing tablets to make online information available to older people and make them aware of online safety, with 36 drop-in sessions across the year with support of trained staff and volunteers. Drop-in sessions will also be used to explain services, signposting, and encouraging safe use of card payments, reducing the vulnerability of carrying large quantities of cash, and building confidence of older people around safety aspects of card payments and online based scams and fraud. I was pleased to hear such a practical project, which primarily prevents victims of crime by pre-arming a section of the community more vulnerable to intimidation and deception.

MHA Communities South Somerset supports people to live later life well. They also provide information and advice, keeping older people updated on daily matters so they can make informed decisions, maintaining their independence.

Taking part in a ‘Walk of Hope’ in Bourneville

It was a wonderful end to the day. I joined a parade and spoke at the Walk of Hope celebratory event for the installation of the Beacon of Hope – a powerful new sculpture inspired by the iconic Knife Angel at St Andrews parade in Bournville, Weston-super-Mare. It was great to see people from many communities coming together and to cut the ribbon along with Regan, one of the young people who worked alongside the metal work artist to create the sculpture.

The Beacon was created as part of the programme of activity for the Knife Angel in May 2024.

The project was led by local housing association Alliance Homes, in collaboration with North Somerset Violence Reduction Partnership and students from Voyage Learning Campus.

Tackling Serious Youth Violence is a key priority in my new Police and Crime Plan. The devastating impact of knife crime on individuals and families and whole communities is huge. But it was great to be at the event where we also talked about hope and about legacy.