The University has been working to secure funding alongside the Canterbury Safety Partnership as a part of the Government’s Safer Streets 4 funding. The Partnership were able to acquire funding towards a range of safety projects for the city between 2022 – 2024.
The funding is to improve the safety, and perception of safety, within the city will be used with a focus towards preventing violence against women and girls, cracking down on anti-social behaviour and working alongside local students in developing a Safe Night Out campaign. We are working with Canterbury’s students to design the vision for this campaign with a Safer Streets logo.
The funding will be used to:
- Safe Night Out campaign to raise awareness of the issues through a media campaign as well as expanding initiatives such as Ask Angela, anti-spike lids for drinks bottles, drink testing strips and personal alarms
- make safety improvements to the city centre on the main routes into town including extra CCTV
- increase the presence of the police in the city centre
- expand the street pastor scheme where volunteers offer reassurance, safety and support to people making their way home from restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs
- create a walking bus initiative
- support the creation of safe havens where people can go to get help and support
- expand the Safe Zone app, originally designed to keep university students safe, which will now be available to all that socialise in Canterbury
- expand training and support to businesses operating in the night-time economy
We are thrilled to be involved in this amazing project, and to be engaged in making Canterbury a safer place to live and study for all.
Who’s involved in the Canterbury Safety Partnership?
The Canterbury Safety Partnership aims to connect local services, charities, businesses and higher education providers to ensure we are connected and efficiently working together.
Those involved in the Safer Streets 4 bid includes:
- Canterbury City Council
- Kent Police
- University of Kent
- Kent Union
- Canterbury Christ Church University
- Christ Church Students’ Union
- Canterbury BID
- Canterbury Street Pastors
- Office for the Kent Police and Crime Commissioner
- The Rising Sun
- East Kent Rape Crisis