COUPLE REWARDED FOR TAKING A STAND
From the WMDC Press and Communications Office
A
Castleford couple will today be named as one of the winners of the Home
Office's Taking a Stand Awards for standing up to anti-social behaviour in
their community. Joe and Alison Bednall will receive £1000 to spend on
improvements in their community.
Joe
and Alison have lived in their home in Glasshoughton for over 10 years but
have been suffering from anti-social behaviour for the last three. After
experiencing threatening and abusive behaviour, they called Wakefield
Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Unit and catalogued all the activity that
was going on, even encouraging neighbours to get involved. The Council's
ASBU then had enough evidence to apply for 4 stand alone Anti-Social
Behaviour Orders all on members of the same family. Throughout the ASBO
application process, Alison and Joe were subject to regular abuse and
unacceptable behaviour from the offenders but refused to be intimidated by
the family. Since taking out the ASBOs they have also monitored the
offending family and reported any breaches to the police.
Since
the ASBOs the family have modified their behaviour but the Bednalls have not
stopped their work. Joe and Alison have now set up a community group that
meets regularly and is attended by over 80 residents, becoming a regular
forum.
Alison
and Joe are keen to support others in a similar position and to make a
difference to their community. They helped to launch Wakefield Council's
'Its Your Call' campaign telling others how they took a stand and
encouraging others to report ASB.
Wakefield
District Community Safety Partnership, which includes the council, the
police and other agencies, launched the It's Your Call campaign with the
Home Office to encourage more people to report anti-social behaviour last
year.
It
is also supporting the Government's Respect agenda which places a high
priority on improving communities and residents' quality of life by reducing
anti-social behaviour. It's Your Call: 0845 8 506 506.
Bob
Taylor from Wakefield Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Unit says; "Mr
and Mrs Bednall worked very hard to make their community a safer and better
place to live and to receive recognition in this way is a great achievement.
To be recognised as winners shows what can be achieved by taking a stand.
Anti-Social Behaviour will not be tolerated and action like this shows what
can be done when the community works with us to challenge unacceptable
behaviour".
Ref:
PR771
Date: 04/04/06
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