Ireleth St Peter's CofE Primary School contacted Sgt Jo Smith and local PCSO Lou Perry in June regarding road safety issues outside the school, in part due to the location on a bend of a busy road.

Following the school assembly reported in last month's newsletter, Police attended and allowed the children to put into practice what they had learned. They demonstrated how they could now cross the road safely, and PCs Conor Paterson and Greg Howard attended with the laser gun and slow down signs for the children to use. 

Thankfully there were many opportunities to give passing motorists a thumbs up for adhering to the speed limit.

The school's youth council also wrote to Ben Shirley about the issues and it was agreed that warning signs can be relocated which will also help with crossing management. 

Sgt Smith and her team will continue to monitor this and ensure the pupils, parents and staff remain safe outside their school.

Cumbria Police were engaged in a multi-agency approach to the national week of action raising awareness of Hate Crime; what it is, it's affects on victims and the wider community, and how it can be reported.

Officers from the South Neighbourhood Policing Team and the Child Centred Team attended various schools and workshops in company with the Furness Multicultural Community Forum and Remedi (Restorative Justice Service) in order to deliver the Hate Crime message. 

School children were given talks and interactive presentations, and real life victims of such crimes told their story. A poster competition was also run, and the impressive messages they conveyed showed the children listened and understood what they had learned.

They were also advised on how they can help us using their profile in the community, including spreading messages to targeted audiences. There was really positive interactions with the players and some excellent questions asked.

A new six month pilot scheme has been introduced involving a partnership between Cumbria Police and the Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust to provide a tailored service to those members of the community dealing with mental health issues.

Previously, Police officers would attend incidents of self harm and those struggling with their mental health as a first response, but there would be a delay in getting the professional help they need, as well as taking Police Officers off further calls to service while they wait for others to arrive. This new initiative, called the Street Triage Team, will be based at Barrow Police Station and consists of PCs Rashid Said and Rheannon Hackett, and Mental Health Professionals Jayne Braithwaite and Sarah Connell. 

They will respond to all incidents received via the Police 101/999 system, and provide an immediate support to service users utilising both Police and medical powers and expertise.

This pilot scheme has already been a success in North Cumbria, and should South follow suit it is intended to become a full-time service seven days a week.

The Furness Youth Work Partnership is the name which recently has been formally adopted by a group of organisations who undertake voluntary focused work with young people.

The Partnership was generated as a consequence of a shared objective to achieve positive outcomes for children, young people and their families and to keep young people safe.

Their aim is to work together on joint funding applications, and with these increased resources it will allow quality youth projects to thrive within the Furness area.

The partnership has had a core multi-agency membership since its inception, and this has consisted of Drop Zone Youth Projects, Furness Carers, Brathay Trust, Walney Community Trust, the Leonard Cheshire Youth Ability Project, Barrow Borough Council and Cumbria County Council.

Working with them has been PC Paul Kelly from the South Cumbria Child Centred Policing Team. PC Kelly recently attended a meeting on the anniversary of the partnership forming, and following a review it was agreed to make it a permanent group as the benefits of continuing to engage on this level were seen as positive at every level.

Cumbria Police South Neighbourhood Policing Team recently completed two days training around Wildlife crime.

Sadly there are growing trends for offences such as fish and deer poaching, and it costs the economy millions of pounds every year.

Such offences are covered by lesser known legislation, and officers were given talks and some practical interaction with the Angling Trust & Environment Agency at Clearwater Fisheries, Carnforth, and the British Association of Shooting & Conservation at Crabtree Clay Shoot, Carnforth.

During our day at the Fishery, officers were given the opportunity to do some angling, with Sgt David Proctor netting himself catch of the day! He was safely returned after this picture was taken....the fish, that is.

Learning from the day will be shared with our Proactive Unit colleagues as we look to clamp down on rural crime.

Barrow AFC are currently running a free school holiday programmes, where their community team, together with Football Officer PC Rickie Wallbank, teach new life skills and physical activities are undertaken.

This picture shows Ormsgill pupils having a brainstorming session with PC Wallbank as to what activities they would like to do on future camps. Police interaction at these sessions is important to build relationships with our young people and gain a mutual trust with the Police.