Safe Spaces Newquay Launch
A new initiative is being launched this April led by Newquay BID, paving the way to becoming the first town in the UK to offer a whole town approach to providing Safe Spaces. An accredited scheme with support from Newquay town council, local businesses, the Town Mayor and Devon and Cornwall Police which when launched will offer a place of safety to anyone feeling vulnerable or at immediate risk within the town.
Mark Warren, Newquay BID, says: “We feel that the town is fast becoming a welcoming and safe space, we already have a whole town approach system with communications between CCTV and businesses; Further supporting this with new initiatives like this one providing that additional layer of safety within the community and we’re proud to be leading the way to the UK’s first Safe Space Town supported by local businesses, organisations and Devon and Cornwall police, we predict the scheme to be welcomed across the town by members of the public, locals and visitors alike.”
Newquay has had significantly reduced crime rates over recent years and Newquay BID and partners recognise that this is a further proactive step to prioritising personal safety 24/7, with particular focus on the nighttime economy as well as providing safe spaces throughout the daytime. Newquay BID is urging local businesses and organisations to get in touch to join the initiative, which hopes to secure funding to support the training to join the scheme. All businesses and organisations wanting to become a Safe Space will be supported to ensure they are properly prepared and ready to become a Safe Space, with systems in place to protect themselves, their employees and the person at risk seeking immediate support. In becoming a Safe Space, you will have the necessary understanding to support a person seeking help and have a list of wider support agencies to contact in order to signpost to the support required. It may be that your support for a person in need is simply a call home or to someone to come and pick them up. If the person seeking safety has been a victim of crime or feels they are at risk, you would simply call 999. Newquay Police Station is open between 8am and 6pm.
CLEAR is providing relevant support and training for businesses and organisations wanting to become a Safe Space or wishing to support the Newquay Safe Space initiative. CLEAR is also able to provide critical incident support for people working within a Safe Space following any incident that they may have found to be traumatic.
Training begins on 20th February 2024 to register your interest, for information and book onto training please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
It’s Newquay’s ambition to be a town where a person’s safety is of priority. This initiative further supports a well structured support system within the town with recognised Safe Spaces offering a place of safety provided by local business within the community. With each organisation undertaking safe space, safeguarding and bystander training and meeting advised Safe Space criteria, any person in immediate risk can receive the correct immediate support. Examples of people needing support can include: a young person unable to get home safety, anyone feeling unsafe, anyone at risk of becoming a victim of crime.
For any further information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Check out Mark and Rachel's interview on Radio Cornwall here at 0:14:20 and in the news headlines at 1:02:23
