Date
On October 30, Police & Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin visited Gwynedd leisure, sports and physical activity providers Byw’n Iach at Canolfan Byw’n Iach Plas Ffrancon in Bethesda to learn more about how funding from the Your Community, Your Choice fund is being used to promote healthy initiatives for the people of the county.
Your Community, Your Choice is celebrating its tenth anniversary in 2023 and, over the past ten years, a total of over £500,000 has been awarded to more than 150 projects working to reduce crime in their areas and to support the priorities in the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan. The Your Community, Your Choice fund supports grass-roots projects and is supported by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) and North Wales Police (NWP). The funding for Your Community, Your Choice comes partly from money seized by the courts through the Proceeds of Crime Act, with the rest from the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Following feedback from the Gwynedd community, Byw’n Iach discovered that local sports areas were considered expensive and inaccessible, leading to increased instances of antisocial behaviour amongst young people and lower levels of physical activity amongst local families.
To combat the issue, the organisation applied for Your Community, Your Choice funding to begin a project to open the sports facilities across the 11 leisure centres across Gwynedd during school holidays. Byw’n Iach were successful in their bid and have since used the funding to provide additional staff to monitor the facilities and purchase new sports equipment. The facilities offered as part of the project include 3G sports pitches, basketball courts, tennis courts and other outdoor recreational areas. The amount received was match funded by Gwynedd Youth Service; who provided staff to run sessions at these facilities. So far in 2023, over 5,000 people have taken the opportunity to use the facilities across the region.
Mr Dunbobbin met Amanda Davies, MD of Byw’n Iach along with her colleague Ffion Williams, Community Sports Officer on the first day of the Autumn half-term school holiday for a tour of Bethesda Leisure Centre’s facilities. Amanda explained how the project works and how it has proved successful with the community and staff, giving people in the local area a way to keep active.
Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin stated: “It was a pleasure to visit Bethesda and meet the team behind Byw’n Iach and to see how their project is bringing positivity to the community and helping people keep active at the same time.
“I appreciate and respect the way in which Byw’n Iach have listened, and responded, to the community’s views. During the school holidays, children and young people can find it hard to find affordable ways to keep themselves occupied and I believe that Byw’n Iach’s project will help give young people worthwhile activities and in turn support my Police and Crime Plan of priority of supporting and engaging with communities.
“Following my success with the Summer Soccer Fund earlier this year, I’ve heard first-hand how providing young people with meaningful pastimes and involving them in sports effectively discourages engagement in antisocial behaviour.”
Alun Jones, Rheolwr Uned Partneriaethau/Partnership Unit Manager, Byw’n Iach commented:
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who voted for our project, which means that we can now open our facilities outside for everyone to use during the holidays. This offer will be available across all our leisure centres and it is hoped that opening up the facilities will mean expanding the opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity and that then helps to reduce the unsociable behaviour seen because people have nothing to do.
“We understand that due to the cost of living crisis, things are very difficult on local families at the moment, so being able to offer the free facilities to children and young people during the holidays is certainly welcome. We look forward to working with Gwynedd Youth Service on the scheme and also working collaboratively with community police on a number of projects during the holidays.”
North Wales Police T/Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: “I am pleased to see the success of this project, which demonstrates Byw’n Iach's commitment to fostering an environment that keeps our young people engaged in positive activities and away from potential antisocial behaviour. This initiative stands as a great example of how collaboration between community organisations and the police can have a positive impact on our society.”
PACT Chairman Ashley Rogers said: "Byw’n Iach's dedication to enhancing our community's wellbeing is commendable and I’m pleased that we have been able to help fund them in furthering their work. Their commitment to creating positive change in making Gwynedd a healthier and safer place for our families and young people is inspiring and I wish them the best for the future.”
To learn more about PACT visit www.pactnorthwales.co.uk and to learn more about the work of the Office of the Police and crime Commissioner, visit www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk For more information on Byw’n Iach, visit: https://www.bywniach.cymru/en