Cleveland Fire Brigade is linking up with partners to provide pop-up activities to keep young people off the streets in a clampdown on nuisance fires.
The activities – Shout out & Kick about – including a climbing wall and football tournaments and are being set-up in hotspot areas in support of the UK’s first ever Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week (19 – 25 July).
Latest figures show there more than 2,200 deliberate fires across the Brigade area in the first six months of this year (Jan to June 2021), costing the local economy nearly £13m.
Steve Johnson, Area Manager, Prevention, Protection and Engagement, said: “Fire crews and our schools education team will be on-hand at these activities to get to know the young people, engage with our local communities and provide support and advice about the dangers of fire. Such incidents are a huge financial and environmental cost to the community and can divert resources away from real emergencies where lives may be at risk.
“We know the majority of young people are responsible and these events are just a chance to show how everyone can have fun, make a positive contribution to the places where they live and steer clear of anti-social behaviour. They are another step in our continuing work to build engagement with young people.”
The Brigade has also been running a ‘Love Where You Live’ campaign throughout July, in partnership with Zetland FM, encouraging people to keep their local environment clean and tidy and remove rubbish, which could potentially be fuel for deliberate fires.
In recent months the Brigade has also provided equipment for a number of local litter picking groups and has attended large events like the Big River Tees Tidy-up and the Eston Hills tidy-up, helping our communities take pride in their areas.
ASB Awareness Week is organised Resolve and is backed by the Home Office, National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs’ Council.
The activities are:
Wed 21 July (2pm to 4pm) Eston Recreation Ground/MFC Herlingshaw Courts, TS6
The Brigade will be providing activities via the schools education team, the youth engagement team will also be bringing along the climbing wall. There will also be support from MFC Foundation organising football sessions, and Cleveland Police and local youth services will be in attendance.
Fri 23 July (2pm to 4pm) Roseberry Field/ car park near 25k Youth Club, Redcar
The Brigade will be providing activities via the schools education team. There will also be support from MFC Foundation organising football sessions, and Cleveland Police and local youth services will be in attendance.
There’s no need to book just pop down and get involved!
