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On Wednesday March 13, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin visited Bangor Saints Football Club at Byw'n Iach Leisure Centre on Bangor’s Garth Road, to gain an insight into the club's impactful work with local youth and to learn how money partly taken from criminals is helping to support the team’s work in the local community.
Bangor Saints were successful in their bid for community funding through the Your Community, Your Choice initiative, which helps support grass-roots projects across North Wales and is supported by the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT), the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, and North Wales Police. The funding for Your Community, Your Choice comes partly from money seized by the courts through the Proceeds of Crime Act, with the rest coming from the Police and Crime Commissioner.
During the visit, the Commissioner, accompanied by local North Wales Police PCSO David Griffiths and Gwynedd High Sheriff Janet Phillips, met with Daf Roberts, Bangor Saints' Coaching Coordinator. Daf introduced him to the club's players and outlined how the funding will enhance their ability to serve young people in the area, such as the need for improved lighting to facilitate year-round evening training sessions.
Bangor Saints caters for children aged 7 to 17 and boasts nearly a hundred players on their roster. The club hosts practice sessions during the winter months and struggled with adequate lighting for their pitch at Bangor Rugby Club’s ground during the dark evenings. They plan to use the money from their Your Community, Your Choice bid towards their project, ‘Lights on for Footie’, which will see the club purchase portable floodlights which will allow their training sessions to take place all year-round.
Bangor Saints Coaching Coordinator Daf Roberts said: “With this generous funding we can continue training sessions throughout the winter weather for our 4 mini teams with indoor and 3G facilities, whilst the older teams are able to continue with our mobile floodlights at Bangor Rugby Club.
“This funding will enable us to upgrade the lights ensuring our Under 17s team can use them after the Under 13s team have trained. Furthermore, we are now able to offer an extra evening session of fitness training for our older teams and this is something we have wanted to do for a while. For this, we are very grateful.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: "I am very pleased to provide this funding for Bangor Saints to install proper lighting for their training facilities.
“Giving young people positive outlets and pastimes is a key way to help steer them away from getting involved in acts like antisocial behaviour. Having a place to play football, be part of a team, and stay active during the evening hours provides a healthy alternative to getting caught up in crime.
“It is these factors that make Bangor Saints’ project align with my Police and Crime Plan's focus on supporting local communities and reaching out to vulnerable young people. I'm proud we could make this commitment to the club and the young people of the community.”
PACT Chairman Ashley Rogers commented: “We are proud to support Bangor Saints with this grant for new lighting equipment. The funding received will allow the club to provide more opportunities for its members.
“We firmly believe in investing in projects such as this which enrich young people’s lives and provide positive futures. It's a privilege to contribute to such valuable work.”
North Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Chris Allsop said: "This investment will work towards preventing antisocial behaviour and youth crime in the Bangor community. Keeping young people engaged in positive activities like sports during the evening hours gives them a constructive outlet and steers them away from getting into trouble on the streets.
“Initiatives like this that provide healthy recreational opportunities are key to reducing crime and building stronger communities. As a force, we're fully supportive of funding efforts that work towards that goal."
Over the eleven years since Your Community, Your Choice started, almost £600,000 has been awarded to nearly 200 projects working to reduce crime in their neighbourhoods and also to support the priorities in the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan.
To learn more about PACT visit www.pactnorthwales.co.uk
To find out more information about Bangor Saints visit https://www.facebook.com/SeintiaubangorSaints/