Celebrating our communities

At Crimestoppers, we’re lucky to work with community-focused organisations, and to see and appreciate the vital work they do every single day.

Communities are at the heart of our charity.

Supported by Network Rail Scotland, Crimestoppers and our youth service, Fearless, awarded six youth-focused groups and six adult-focused groups £500 to spend on creating a special day during the summer that provided an opportunity to learn about our 100% anonymous reporting service.

Whilst we don't usually offer grants, this project was an exceptional effort to show support for the very local groups who play an invaluable role in making communities stronger, and who have had a particularly tough few years.

We were blown away by all the amazing entries - after a lot of deliberation, the following Crimestoppers and Fearless winners were selected:

Crimestoppers recipients

• ROAR Connections for LIFE, Johnstone
  They help reduce social isolation and improve connections for older people across Renfrewshire. They hosted a Vintage Tea Dance, promoting Crimestoppers to all the service users, their friends, carers & families. 
• MILAN Senior Welfare in Gilmerton, Edinburgh 
  MILAN provide support to older South Asian communities and unpaid carers. They used the funding to host a series of community events, attended by more than 90 local people, many of whom have experience of language barriers - they heard about how Crimestoppers’ language line can offer 147 different languages to those choosing to report crime anonymously.
• Milnbank Housing Association in Dennistoun, Glasgow
  A charity providing 3,000 homes across the east end of Glasgow. The charity run a huge free community activity programme, and they planned to take over Alexandra Park Sports Hub for a sporting fun day. 
• LIFT-up at Muirhouse  Millennium Centre in Edinburgh 
  The charity tackle child poverty, increase wellbeing for individuals and families, and allow them to move forward from poverty and crises. Our grant helped a group of mums and children who have experienced trauma to enjoy a summer day trip to a safari park. 
• ARC - Addictions Recovery in Dunoon 
  The charity offer vital support for those recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. Reducing stigma is an important part of their work and they planned to host a community open day for services users, families and friends.
• Dumbartonshire Area Council on Alcohol 
  The charity provide vital support for those recovering from alcohol addiction. They wanted to host a ‘summer sober socialising’ event, with everyone invited to join in and find out how the service helps people on their recovery journey. 

Fearless recipients 

For projects aimed at young people aged 11-18 years.

• Man on! Inverclyde, Greenock
  They organised a football Wellbeing Cup tournament in honour of all people in Inverclyde who have sadly lost their live to suicide. With 40% of the young people supported by the charity having been exposed to violence and potential criminal exploitation, the event proved an amazing vehicle to talk about these issues.
• Girvan Youth Trust, Girvan 
  Our grant supported their positive masculinity project throughout the summer, allowing them to link up with other groups to build relationships and share experiences.
• Oor Space Youthy, Peebles
  The funding supported summer activities chosen by their young people, helping them to make active bystander decisions - including speaking up about crime.
• G20 Works, Glasgow
  They planned to host a community event focused on building positive community relations and reducing anti-social behaviour.
• The 3Rs Horse Rescue Centre, Gatehouse of Fleet 
  The funding was to support their youth trip to Belfast. Alongside the trip, sharing info about Fearless to their peers counts towards the ASDAN qualification the young people are working hard to achieve.

A special event was held in Maryhill, Glasgow on 6 October, where more than 120 invited guests heard from the award winners about the fantastic work they undertake in communities and the difference the funding provided by Crimestoppers and Network Rail Scotland made to their summer.

Guests at the celebration included Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown MSP, Crimestoppers CEO Mark Hallas and representatives from community partners, safety projects and other charities.

Crimestoppers CEO Mark Hallas at the event in Glasgow, speaking to Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety.