Bids to be pitched for anti-social behaviour funding in Wigan

Wiganers are set to decide how £20,000 of cash seized from criminals will be used to tackle anti-social behaviour in their community.
Reverend Denise Hayes, Vicar of St Barnabas' Church where the vote will take placeReverend Denise Hayes, Vicar of St Barnabas' Church where the vote will take place
Reverend Denise Hayes, Vicar of St Barnabas' Church where the vote will take place

Residents in Marsh Green will vote this week on the Giving Back initiative, which takes money generated from criminal activities and pumps it back into community projects which combat unrest caused by local troublemakers.

The scheme invited local community groups to tender bids for the £20k pot, and the organisers at Greater Manchester Police have now whittled down the bids to a shortlist of candidates, who will pitch their vision to local residents on March 3.

Off the Streetz – to set up activities for young people.

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Tenants and Resident group – resources for groups that use St Barnabas Church (pool table, refreshment facilities. membership enrolment for youth group).

Women’s Group – resources for the women’s group to assist women gaining confidence and employment skills.

St Barnabas – CCTV to provide extra security for the church and all its groups.

Wigan Athletic Community Trust – to set up sports activities for young people.

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Anyone living in Marsh Green will be able to vote for their favourite idea at St Barnabas Church on Saturday, March 3, from 12pm.

Free activities will also be on offer on the day, including stalls, refreshments and a free raffle.

The money will likely come in handy in the area, following a spate of problems with anti-social youths in recent weeks.

The problem has become so bad that the vicar of St Barnabas’ Church was forced to close one of its youth groups due to the bad behaviour of its young attendees.

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Reverend Denise Hayes ended the weekly sessions last month after it was blighted by drug and alcohol use, by secondary school-age children.

“We were really just providing a place where they met and they were bringing alcohol and drugs and getting themselves high,” Denise said.

Earlier this month, the Post also reported how the Intrahealth GP Surgery in Marsh Green had also been besieged by teenagers, who were intimidating staff and patients as they entered the building on a daily basis.

Staff had been forced to lock the doors to keep the group of 20 youths out.