Posted on 15th Mar
A charity for young and vulnerable people in Newark will benefit from six top of the range GPS bike trackers.
Newark and Sherwood District Council and tracker supplier, Back2You, have each donated three trackers to the Newark Emmaus Trust, which loans bikes to young people as an independent means of transport.
The trust based on Northgate, Newark helps local, vulnerable, homeless young people by providing temporary accommodation, while supporting them with professional care and training to improve future prospects and career opportunities.
The trackers, worth more than £100 each, have been bought as part of the Safer Streets project, led by Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Paddy Tipping to crack down on burglary, vehicle crime and cycle theft.
The PCC secured funding from the Home Office’s Safer Streets Fund in July and is working closely with Newark and Sherwood District Council, Nottinghamshire Police and Nottinghamshire County Council to improve the lives of people living in the Chatham Court and Northgate areas of the town.
A number of trackers have also been given free of charge to residents who met a certain criteria, as part of Safer Streets.
Nicola Burley, Newark Emmaus Trust chief executive, said: “The bikes are a lifeline for our young people, all of whom have no access to cars and may not be familiar with public transport. Not only are they used as a means of transport to and from appointments, training and job interviews, but prior to Covid restrictions, we also run group cycling sessions for young people to keep fit and healthy.”
Paddy Tipping added: “The charity’s work is vitally important for helping vulnerable young people grasp opportunities for training and career development and I’m glad the Safer Streets project could help protect their services.”
David Lloyd, leader of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Security measures, in particular GPS trackers, can be an extremely effective tool in safeguarding cycles. The bikes are hugely important to Emmaus Trust service users and the trackers are another way to keeping them safe and out of the hands of any would-be criminals.
“We are committed to making Newark a safer place to live, work and visit, and alongside the trackers, we have undertaken a series of free bike security sessions, given out free locks and made upgrades to existing bike storage areas, as one of a number of specific tactics to combat cycle theft.”
Inspector Heather Sutton, District Commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: “Homelessness can affect anyone of us at any time and it’s great that we can support this charity as part of our campaign to make Newark safer.
“We want our residents to feel protected and the bike trackers are a great way to prevent bikes from being stolen but also help us investigate and ensure they are returned to their rightful owner.”
