An Eccleshall based football club has been able to install new security features thanks to a grant from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s People Power Fund.
Following a number of break-ins at the club grounds resulting in the theft of maintenance equipment and gas bottles, Eccleshall Football Club were awarded £1,650 to install CCTV cameras and an alarm system.
The new security measures will help to prevent future break-ins at the club grounds, reducing the need for local officers to attend.
The club has two senior open age teams and has recently launched it’s under 16’s team, and is a part of the North West Counties League and the Staffordshire Seniors League.
Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, Matthew Ellis, said: ‘Clubs and voluntary organisations often have a tough time securing funds and the break-in was unwelcome news. The Commissioner’s People Power Fund provided some funding towards improving crime prevention at the club, this will not only help an important community organisation, it will protect the premises better meaning less demand for policing.’
Club Secretary, Jim Tunney, said: ‘Following the break in at our Pershall Park ground last year, we consulted with the Police Crime Prevention Officer as to how we could improve security. We wanted to act on his advice but club funds were tight at the time. The assistance we received from the Police Crime Commissioner’s People Power Fund allowed us to put a number of prevention measures in place and we were grateful for his support. Our clubhouse is now more secure as a result.’
The People Power Fund, which provided £500,000 in the form of grants of between £100 and £3,000, was part of £2.5 million total community funding from the PCC for 2016/17. Great ideas for community safety solutions come from local people and the People Power Fund supports locally-driven community safety activities and empowers local people to find solutions to community safety problems. The fund provides money to community groups and organisations to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and increase public confidence as well as improving community safety.
Proceeds of Crime Fund is seeing 100 per cent of funding received by Staffordshire Police going back into local communities, through grants of between £3,000 and £15,000. It is made up of money seized from criminals.
