Cash seized from criminals in West Yorkshire has been awarded to community groups in Kirklees and Calderdale.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds of ill-gotten gains recovered from the likes of drug dealers, burglars and thieves has been re-distributed.
And representatives of 38 winning recipients attended an awards ceremony at Brighouse High School to celebrate their achievements.
West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Mark Burns-Williamson met with community groups and organisations before presenting their awards.
Groups receiving funds of up to £5,000 each in Kirklees included: Freedom Personal Safety, Huddersfield Student’s Union, Kirklees Filmmakers CIC and Thornhill Trojans.
Freedom Personal Safety was awarded a grant for its work teaching pupils the dangers of sexual exploitation, grooming, relationship abuse and ‘sexting’.
Over in Calderdale Halifax Street Angels, Sunnyvale Fisheries, Project Colt, Halifax Boxing Sport and Fitness Club and Lifeline Project LTD all received awards.
Mr Burns-Williamson said: “I originally launched the Safer Communities Fund to bring together money seized from criminals across West Yorkshire into a single pot to benefit the local communities.
“There is an incredible demand for funding to pay for community projects which will help people across the county be safer and feel safer
“I would urge any organisations or groups that feel they meet the criteria for the grants to apply in the next round.
“We have helped some very worthwhile causes in the previous years and I hope this year will see more.”
This is the fifth round of the awards which have so far allocated £850,000 to 191 groups across West Yorkshire.
The next grant round opens on September 1, 2015. If you’re interested in applying then please visit http://www.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/our-business/the-police-crime-plan.aspx to check that you meet the required criteria and for information on how to apply.
