Bury groups win police commissioner funds to tackle hate crime

Five groups in Bury have won funding to tackle hate crime from the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester.

It’s part of the We Stand Together campaign to raise awareness, challenge perceptions and promote tolerance and respect.

The fifth annual Greater Manchester Hate Crime Awareness Week runs from 6-12 February and is supported by police, local authorities, communities and other partner and voluntary agencies.

A number of events are taking place this week across Bury in schools and local areas, including a mobile digital van touring the borough.

Senior police and council leaders in Bury have also signed a pledge to work together and help keep our community safe.

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, Bury Council’s cabinet member for communities and safer neighbourhoods, said: “Hate crime and any acts of intimidation or hostility are often targeted at more vulnerable people in our communities and such acts are never acceptable.

“We should all be able to live our lives without fear and intimidation. Victims should never feel that they have to deal with things alone. Support is available and I would encourage people to always report any incidents.”

Tony Lloyd, Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “Hate crime destroys lives and divides communities. It has no place in Greater Manchester – a proud, diverse region that welcomes people who stand for hope, not for hate, no matter who they are, where they’re from, who they love or what they believe.

“This week is a powerful show of what can be achieved when we all stand together against hatred and prejudice, bringing communities together to celebrate our diversity and encourage tolerance and respect.”

The recognised strands of hate crime are: gender identity; race or ethnicity; religion, faith or belief; sexual orientation; and disability.

The five Bury groups who have received money from Mr Lloyd’s fund are:

• Bury People First – running hate crime workshops and a marketplace, and producing leaflets for other 3^rd sector organisations containing hate crime information
• ADAB – Project Speak Up: tackling Islamophobia through training and workshops
• Bury Blind Society – holding drama groups and producing a play highlighting the issue of disability hate crime
• Bury Asian Women’s Centre – holding a family event to raise awareness of the different strands of hate crime
• Mosses Centre – holding a six-week training programme for their attendees which are predominantly asylum seekers or refugees

Cllr Tariq added: “We have worked with a number of agencies to drive home the message that hate crime will not be tolerated in Bury and are doing this in a variety of ways; through schools, colleges, faith groups and community leaders. There is, however, still a lot of work to be done and I look forward to seeing the good work that our five successful Bury groups will be doing to support victims and help educate people on this serious issue.”

To report hate crime and find out what’s happening in your area to tackle it, visit www.letsendhatecrime.com. You can also report it by calling police on 101.

Get involved in the conversation on social media by following #westandtogether.

ENDS

Press release issued: 9 February 2017.

Picture: We Stand Together – tackling hate crime are police and council leaders, along with Bury groups who have won funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner.