Young people from the Florrie on a barge from the Steer Your Future project
A city-wide day of action – starting in the green spaces of Chavasse Park and ending on the historic waters of the Albert Dock – will today shine a spotlight on the work taking place in Liverpool as part of the Safer Streets Summer campaign.
The government-backed initiative brings together the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Emily Spurrell, Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council, and a host of community safety partners to tackle retail and street crime and antisocial behaviour to build safer, stronger neighbourhoods.
Today’s day of action will get underway in the heart of the city, Chavasse Park, where the PCC, the Director of the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partner, Supt Georgie Garvey, and police will be joined by Riverside MP Kim Johnson, Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhoods and Communities Cllr Laura Robertson-Collins and other partners. They will unite for a high visibility walkabout through Liverpool ONE and the city centre to meet with businesses and residents to discuss safety concerns and showcase the work being delivered as part of Safer Streets Summer.
The walkabout supports the efforts to provide a high visibility policing presence in town centres across the summer and offers an opportunity for local people to speak directly with the PCC, their neighbourhood officers and local Councillors about the issues that matter most to them, to share ideas, and see first-hand the work being done to make their communities safer.
Activity will then move to the water’s edge, where the PCC will join young people from the Florrie at their Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) funded project, Steer Your Future – transforming a community barge docked in the Royal Albert Dock into a mobile classroom and creative space.
This innovative project is offering dozens of young people the experience of handling boats and ropework, while giving them the chance to help renovate and design the barge, while exploring Liverpool’s maritime heritage.
Through hands-on sessions, creative workshops, and storytelling sessions, the initiative aims to reduce antisocial behaviour and build life skills through creative, physical, and educational engagement.
Steer Your Future is one of 27 grassroots initiatives funded by the joint PCC and Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership (MVRP) Youth Empowerment Scheme, investing more than £472,00 to prevent crime and build brighter futures for young people across the region.
“From our green spaces to the water’s edge, this day is about showing how so many organisations are working together to make Merseyside safer – and how we are investing in young people to help them steer their futures in a positive direction.
“The Florrie’s barge project is a brilliant example of early intervention in action – giving young people a unique and exciting opportunity to develop skills, grow in confidence, and get support to help them build a brighter future.
“Both our Youth Empowerment Scheme projects and our Community Walkabouts are key ways we are delivering on our Safer Streets Summer promise.
“By listening to communities and working in partnership to find solutions, while empowering our young people, we can prevent and reduce the issues that matter most to our communities during the school holidays and warmer weather, ensuring everyone can safely enjoy all that summer has to offer.”
Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell
“This is exactly the kind of creative and innovative project we know young people love to get involved with. It’s constructive, social and engaging. We would strongly encourage parents and carers to visit their local council’s website for what’s on locally to them. When young people have activities like this, they are less likely to be drawn into trouble.
“Even the most typically well-behaved young person can end up in a situation where they’re in a group that’s committing antisocial behaviour, and the consequences of that can be serious. We would ask you to talk to any young people in your care about how they would walk away from situations which might be getting out of hand.
“We’ve got spectacular beaches and parks in Merseyside as well as lively, vibrant shared spaces in the city. It’s understandable that they’ll get busy. I must emphasise though: everyone has a right to enjoy those spaces safely and in peace. That’s at the heart of our Safer Streets Summer commitment.
“We’ve got dedicated Local Policing teams proactively patrolling to deliver that, and we would ask people to be considerate of one another.
“Alongside those high-visibility patrols in hotspot areas, we are using a range of proactive policing powers – from dispersal orders and stop searches to targeted enforcement operations – to prevent antisocial behaviour and serious violence. This work has been strengthened by close collaboration with our partners, and together we’re making a real difference.
“We know there’s still work to do, but the progress we’ve seen shows what’s possible when we take a proactive, partnership-led approach. We will not tolerate violence in our communities, and we’re working every day, alongside local organisations and residents, to prevent harm, protect people, and build a safer Merseyside for everyone.”
Merseyside Police’s Local Policing Superintendent Sarah Rotherham
“Here at The Florrie we’re always searching for new ideas and initiatives to engage and excite young people, so when the opportunity presented itself to take on The Pride of Sefton barge charity we couldn’t resist.
“Learning practical life building skills and working as part of a team is so gratifying and important to us all, but often difficult for the young people of our communities today due to social media and peer pressures.
“Steer Your Future is about breaking down these barriers and bringing young people together in a safe and social environment where they get to learn hands on, talk, form new face to face friendships and problem solve together. Just like us, young people wish to be heard and taken seriously, which is what Steer Your Future is all about, so securing YES funding means up to 100 young people will benefit from the Programme.”
The Florrie’s Chief Operations Officer Laurence Fenlon
“Today’s day of action is a powerful demonstration of what we can achieve when we work together to make Liverpool safer for everyone. Right across the city and in our vibrant city centre, we’re listening to residents, supporting businesses, and investing in our young people.
“The Safer Streets Summer campaign is about building stronger, more connected communities – and I’m proud to stand alongside our partners to help make that vision a reality.”
Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for Neighbourhoods and Communities Cllr Laura Robertson-Collin
The Safer Streets Summer campaign launched across the UK on 30th June, and will run until 30 September, deploying a wide range of tactics including high-visibility patrols and mobile police stations, problem-solving policing funded through the Hotspot Action Fund and community outreach.
It is part of the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, which places a greater emphasis on the importance of Local Policing nationally. As part of this, every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have dedicated teams spending their time on the beat, with guaranteed police patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas at peak times.
To follow the campaign and get involved, search #SaferStreetsSummer on social media or visit the ‘Your Area’ section of the Merseyside Police website: Your area | Merseyside Police