Bury stands together against Hate Crime

Hate crime awareness, support and training has been taking place across Bury this week as part of the national campaign, Hate Crime Awareness Week. (11-18 Oct).

Hate crime is any criminal offence or incident which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by hostility or prejudice towards someone based on a personal characteristic.

Hate Crime can come in many different forms, such as name-calling, physical violence, damage to property or vehicle, desecration of graveyards and faith buildings, intimidation, malicious communications such as texts or social media posts, malicious accusations, or befriending someone to exploit them.

They can be directed to anyone because of a disability, age, religion or belief, race and ethnicity or other personal attributes.

Incidents can quickly escalate if people think they can get away with it, which is why it is important to report even anonymously. That way, partners can monitor the type and extent of hate crime in our communities.

Bury police and the B-Safe campaign have been in to speak with schools and community groups about Hate Crime, and the Red Cross, alongside voluntary sector and council partners, have been trained as ambassadors in how best to support vulnerable people and how you can report it.

B-Safe is led by the council with Greater Manchester Police, Travel for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and Bury College. The project aims to teach pupils about safety, covering multiple topics including knife crime, anti-social behaviour, fire safety, drug misuse and healthy relationships.

Tottington High School shared their experience of their B-Safe event: “Today our Year 8 students enjoyed a fantastic day off timetable for the Bury B-Safe Event! They began the day with a powerful performance by Bury College Performing Arts students, exploring key issues young people may face and highlighting where to turn for support.

"Throughout the day, our students took part in a range of interactive workshops delivered by Bury Youth Zone, Greater Manchester Police, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, and Transport for Greater Manchester.

It was a brilliant opportunity for our students to learn important life lessons and engage with local organisations who work hard to keep young people safe.”

B-Safe also visited Unsworth Academy, who shared their experience: “The Year 8s had a fantastic day with B-Safe - taking part in engaging informative sessions and even getting the chance to try on real fire service PPE!”

Greater Manchester Police also hosted training sessions across the borough at Bury Active Women's Centre and The Fusilier’s Museum.

Speaking about the training Lee Cawley, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Manager said: “It was great to spend time with GMP and Bury LGBTQI Forum during Hate Crime Awareness Week to listen and understand people’s concerns, make it easier for them to report hate crime and to reaffirm a joint commitment to stopping all forms of hate, violence and discrimination against the LGBTQI community in Bury.”

Also, this week, delegates to the Team Bury conference were able to find out more and discuss how to support people to safely report hate crime.

Team Bury brings together the council, police, health and other public sector partners; voluntary, community and faith organisations, and the private sector to work together for the good of the borough.

They all have a role to play in tackling hate crime.

The Mayor of Bury, Councillor Noel Bayley, presented newly trained Hate Crime Ambassadors with their certificates at the Red Cross Hate Crime Awareness event this week, at the Polish Social Centre. The event hosted by the Red Cross showcased the different support services across Bury and raised awareness of how residents can report hate crime.

The Mayor of Bury said: “It really is great to be here to celebrate the fantastic work the Red Cross carry out in Bury. As part of Hate Crime Awareness Week, this event shows what Bury is all about. It’s about standing together; it’s about celebrating diversity and saying really clearly that hate has no home here. I would like to thank the Red Cross team, our partners and all of our volunteers for making this possible. All of you truly help to make Bury a welcoming and compassionate place for all, and I would like to thank every single one of you.”

During the week, more than 20 housing officers also became Hate Crime Ambassadors following completion of their training.

It means they will be able to support tenants who are victims to report incidents and to know what to do if they witness tenants committing a hate crime.

One of those who completed the training said, “I really enjoyed the interactive session today led by Roy.

“Many housing staff commented on how the training has equipped them with the knowledge and confidence to be able to recognise, respond and report hate crimes.

“This in turn will help us empower our tenants, build trust and create safer, more inclusive communities to live and work in.”

Speaking about the importance of Hate Crime Awareness Week, Councillor Sandra Walmsley, Cabinet Member for Communities and Inclusion, said: “This Hate Crime Awareness Week, we stand united against hate, in Bury, Greater Manchester and across the UK.

“After the horrific terrorist attack on our Jewish community during Yom Kippur, now more than ever, we must come together in solidarity to root out antisemitism and all forms of hate and division, irrespective of religion, beliefs, age, gender, sexuality, or race.

“Bury is a proudly diverse and inclusive borough, and we are determined to support all our residents. We understand many are feeling anxious, and we want to be clear: hate has no place here, and we will do all we can to ensure Bury is a safe, welcoming borough for everyone.”

Find out more about Hate Crime and finding support here: https://www.bury.gov.uk/my-neighbourhood/safety-in-the-community/hate-crime

If you or someone you know has experienced Hate Crime, you can report it here: https://www.bury.gov.uk/my-neighbourhood/safety-in-the-community/hate-crime/report-a-hate-crime

In an emergency, always call 999.