Violence Reduction Unit awards £500,000 to tackle serious violence in Hampshire

The Police and Crime Commissioner’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) has awarded £500,000 for initiatives to prevent and tackle serious violence in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

The funding will support initiatives focused on early intervention with young people at risk of serious violence, including positive role models, youth activities, one-to-one and whole-family support, and skills training for professionals.

The Violence Reduction Unit was set up in September with funding from central government and brings partners from police, probation, education, health and local authorities together with young people and communities to develop a joined-up approach to preventing and tackling serious violence.

It is made up of one central VRU, based at the Commissioner’s office, and four devolved VRUs in each of the top tier local authority areas.

The funding has been distributed across the four areas:

• Hampshire will receive £232,770
• Isle of Wight will receive £27,516
• Portsmouth will receive £105,602
• Southampton will receive £134,110.

Alongside the early intervention initiatives, the VRUs will work to build evidence, data and intelligence to better understand what drives serious violence.