Good Guys back in Town!
An
award winning campaign - that helped trigger a three per cent cut
in anti social behaviour during the run up to last year's bonfire
night - is back with a bang!
The 'Good Guys' campaign - which encourages residents
to report bonfire build-ups and organises diversionary activities
for young people in the area - won a Home Office Certificate of
Merit award last year.
At the launch of this year's event, which sees St
Helens Council working closely with its Community Safety partners -
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, Merseyside Police and
registered social landlords Helena Partnerships, Riverside and Your
Housing Group - the message was again 'Bin it - don't burn it!'
St Helens Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration,
Housing, Planning and Community Safety, Councillor Richard McCauley
said: "No one is trying to be a killjoy, but street bonfires can be
dangerous and unpredictable - and can often fuel anti-social
behaviour and firework misuse.
"We want residents to enjoy bonfire night safely, and
are encouraging everyone to attend organised firework displays. The
council's organised 'Spark in the Park' display takes place on
Tuesday 5 November at Sherdley Park and promises to be a truly
spectacular night."
Group Manager Chris Case, Merseyside Fire & Rescue
Service district manager for St Helens, said: "We want to drive
down deliberate, anti-social, nuisance fires during the bonfire
period but we need help from people in the community to do
this.
"Firefighters are engaging with young people and youth
groups in St Helens, delivering bonfire safety messages and water
safety messages. The firefighters, along with members of the
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Prevention Team in St Helens,
are also liaising with local shops and businesses to highlight the
importance of refuse control and storage of wheelie bins. Wheelie
bins should be stored away from windows and doors and should only
be put out on the day of collection and removed as soon as possible
after collection to a secure location.
"We have had a number of wheelie bin fires in October
in parts of St Helens and we are working in the communities and
with police to help reduce this anti-social behaviour."
Tanya McGibbon, community engagement officer at Helena
Partnerships said: "This year's events are set to be bigger and
better than ever. We'd like to thank everybody, especially young
people from our Helena Make it Happen youth steering group, that
have worked so hard to make this the best way to mark the Autumn
festivities. Ultimately we want to ensure that our neighbourhoods
can enjoy a clean and safe time around bonfire night."
The Good Guy campaign encourages residents to report
the build up of combustible waste and street bonfires to St.Helens
Council on 01744 676789. Special teams organised by the Probation
Service and St.Helens Council's Environmental Protection then
dispose of the material safely.
For more information visit: Be the
Good Guy
Photo caption: Community Safety partner agencies
officially launch the campaign at Parr Stocks Community Fire
Station.