A safer motorcycling project in Huddersfield is urging other community groups to apply for funding from the Mayor of West Yorkshire.
Team Kickstart, based in Sheepridge, which benefited from the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund, is urging other groups to come forward and apply for a grant of up to £8,000.
The fund uses money recovered from criminals to support projects to make communities across the region safer.
Team Kickstart, a group set up in 2021 to tackle nuisance and illegal off-road biking, was awarded almost £6,000. The project teaches young people practical motorbike maintenance skills while engaging with them on a range of topics including knife crime and drug awareness.
Joy Edwards, one of the founders, said: “Here at Team Kickstart, we’re a new organisation, completely made up of volunteers.
“Never did I think we would be able to approach someone as big as the Mayor of West Yorkshire for funding. But it doesn’t matter how small you are, the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund can support you.
READ MORE: Find out more about Team Kickstart HERE
“My biggest piece of advice is to just apply! This money is making such a difference to our community, see how it will make a change to yours.”
Since its inception in 2014, the fund has supported over 810 projects with £4.3 million. The mayor is encouraging applications from projects including those that tackle hate crime, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour, and dangerous driving. With £350,000 available, this is the biggest funding pot to date.
Speaking about the fund, Mayor Brabin said: “I am thrilled that we are using the money taken from criminal activities to make West Yorkshire safer.
“My Safer Communities Fund provides vital support to projects that have a huge impact on the safety of their local communities.
“If you have a project that will make your area safer, please apply and help show criminals that crime really doesn’t pay.”
Previously funded projects include a series of school workshops tackling the issue of peer-on-peer sexual harassment in Kirklees, a drugs intervention programme for young men in Bradford and a free self-defence class for women in Leeds.
Applications close on November 11 2022 at 12noon. Organisations can apply for grants of up to £8,000 and can find out more with the fund’s how-to video: https://youtu.be/vbPbY7ixj_w
To apply, please visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/policing-and-crime/mayor-s-safer-communities-fund
