Neighbourhood Policing

What should our local police be concentrating on over the next months?

Helping the Homeless

 

Have you ever wondered what happens to your money when you place it in the on-street collection boxes?….

Boxes like the one below collect your donations which feed into a fund for grants to voluntary sector organisations which seek to help the Homeless!

Even James Morrison paid a surprise appearance busking in the city centre last summer to advertise the need to help!

This is the “Change for the Better Scheme” which seeks to reduce street begging and create awareness of the vulnerability of “rough sleepers”, “beggars” and “street homeless”.

“Giving to Change for the Better ensures that every penny donated will be used productively by organisations who can really make a difference” says Dean Meyer, Birmingham City Centre Community Safety Co-coordinator.

On Thursday 12 March representatives of the voluntary organisations met officials of the City Centre Partnership to receive cheques funded out of the collection boxes to help them in their valuable work.

Grants were donated to:

The Big Issue Foundation

St Anne’s Hospital

Fireside Charity

Salvation Army

St Martin’s Centre for Health & Healing.

The representatives of these hard working and dedicated people are pictured below.

 

Change for the Better grant awards 2009

 

The cheques were presented by Andy Nicholson, Chief Superintendent of  Central Birmingham Police (the tall man, white shirt, in the middle background), helped by Dean Meyer (4th from left, blue shirt, red tie).

This is a marvellous initiative by the City Centre Partnership, whose Chair JonathanCheetham summed it up with these words:

“The grants provide very practical support for a diverse range of projects which are geared to help the homeless access the network of services that are available. It will help move them off the streets and into a more secure way of life.”

Get muddy in the city – Volunteers needed

British Waterways is having a nationwide campaign called ‘Towpath Tidy’ on March 26 to 29. Birmingham city centre is joining in by tidying up the small canal basin alongside the Malthouse pub. (This is the one containing the ‘Not So Long Boat’ between the ICC and NIA.)