THE safety of communities across West Yorkshire has been bolstered thanks to over £500,000 of cash seized from criminals.

The Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin’s, Safer Communities Fund, uses money recovered by West Yorkshire Police and prosecutors from criminal activities, and gives it to community projects working to make their local area safer.

At the fund’s awards ceremony on February 9, 73 projects collected cheques worth a total of £506,097.

This is the largest Safer Communities Fund to date and will bring the total amount of funding from the Mayor to over £1 million.

Mayor Brabin said: “We want every community in West Yorkshire to thrive and be safe.

“To do so, we are empowering local organisations to help their neighbourhoods through money taken from the hands of criminals.

"These projects, right across the region, are making their local areas feel safer, and it's great that we can come together and recognise their efforts."

The theme of this grant round was ‘Safer Places and Thriving Communities’, a key priority in the Mayor’s Police and Crime Plan.

Funded projects include domestic abuse charity Behind Closed Doors - founded in Otley 25 years ago - who will use their money to deliver a healthy relationships programme for young women aged 13-16 in Leeds. They are receiving £7,936 to deliver the programme covering topics including consent and where to get help. The project will culminate in the launch of social media resources co-produced by the young women.

Ruth Davany, CEO of Behind Closed Doors said: “Behind Closed Doors works with people and families in Leeds who have experienced domestic abuse, and we act to prevent it.

“We are delighted to be awarded a Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund grant to develop our Healthy Relationships programme with girls and young women in Leeds, working collaboratively with LS-Ten and the alternative education providers in Leeds.”

West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable John Robins QPM DL, said: “I really welcome this latest round of grants that is provided by the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund.

“It means that the seized proceeds of criminality can be put to good use through its distribution to these deserving community groups.

“Projects like these play a vital role in preventing crime, protecting vulnerable people and reassuring our communities across West Yorkshire.

“I am pleased that the successful disruption of criminal behaviour by our officers means the ill-gotten gains can now be reinvested into such community projects.

“The projects supported across West Yorkshire are inspirational and it is great to see the work they are doing in our communities.”

To find out more about the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund and the projects it supports, visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/policing-and-crime/mayor-s-safer-communities-fund/