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North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin visited the Porthi Dre youth club in Caernarfon to meet staff and members and to learn more about the organisation’s valuable work in the community and how money seized from criminals is being used for the good of the young people in the Caernarfon area.
Porthi Dre was one of the recent winners of Your Community, Your Choice funding. The initiative helps support grass-roots projects and organisations and is supported by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) and North Wales Police. The money 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.
The youth club is based in Caernarfon and runs every Wednesday night 6pm to 8pm for young people. It provides a safe and supportive environment where young people can engage with each other and form friendships. The club provides young people in the community with activities and a chance for them to relax. It also promotes positive behaviour and fosters a sense of belonging in the community. The youth club has staff that can offer guidance and support to address any issues or challenges that the young people may face. The youth club also prepares meals for the young people and the funding will help support the youth club in all the work it does.
During the visit to the youth club, the Commissioner met with the staff from Porthi Dre and ate some food with a number of the young people that attend. He was introduced to the Chairman, the club Leaders, and the Community Chef. The Commissioner heard about the plans for the club and got to see first-hand what the young people get up to at the youth club, and how the funding from Your Community, Your Choice is helping to support them.
North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin said: “Giving young people something positive to do and spend time with friends is hugely important and the youth club does great work in giving a worthwhile outlet for local young people to meet, enjoy themselves and learn new skills. It is fitting that funding for Your Community, Your Choice should come partly from money seized from criminals as it shows how these funds can be put to good use for the benefit of the community, and especially young people.”
“Supporting communities is a key part of my plan for policing and tackling crime in the region and our communities in North Wales and Porthi Dre is a particularly important organisation for the young people of Caernarfon and the wider area.”
The group from Porthi Dre said: “We are very grateful to the North Wales PCC, North Wales Police and PACT for supporting our youth club through this funding. The youth club was established by volunteers just under a year ago, and since then has gone from strength to strength. The youth club is a very simple concept: the young people get a hot meal, somewhere warm and dry to come during the evening, an opportunity to socialise with their friends and the opportunity to take part in simple activities if they wish. It’s obvious that the young people of Caernarfon value this important service as our numbers are increasing week on week. As a group we depend entirely on the kindness of the community and pots of funding such as this. A big thank you once again!”
PACT Chairman Ashley Rogers commented: “It was a pleasure to be able to support Porthi Dre youth club through Your Community, Your Choice. The club provides young people with support and advice that will hopefully enable them to succeed even further in work, study, or whatever else they choose to do. This goal of giving communities the tools to change and shape their futures is at the heart of Your Community, Your Choice”.
North Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Chris Allsop said: “I am pleased to see Your Community, Your Choice funding go towards projects such as Porthi Dre which make a real difference to the lives of young people in North Wales. Clubs and organisations like this play a key part in promoting positive activities for young people. This in turn can help reduces incidents of ASB in the community, by providing other outlets for our young people to occupy and express themselves”.
To learn more about PACT visit www.pactnorthwales.co.uk
To find out more information about Porthi Dre visit Hafan | Porthi Dre, Caernarfon