THIS month I would like to tell you more about a new North Worcestershire group, launched on July 3 to provide increased support for victims and witnesses of hate crime and incidents.

Organisations and groups dedicated to tackling hate crime in Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest have joined together to form a combined North Worcestershire Hate Incident Partnership.

The group brings together agencies such as district councils, West Mercia Police, registered social landlords, Social Services, Victim Support and other local charities and voluntary groups from across the three districts and will play a vital role in our work to promote community safety.

Whilst numbers of hate crimes are relatively low across North Worcestershire compared to other areas, each incident has a significant impact, not just on the victim and witnesses but also on the wider community, potentially creating fear and mistrust in otherwise peaceful neighbourhoods.

The new hate incident group is a part of the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership and has received funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia to offer support to victims and witnesses of hate incidents who may be being targeted or harassed because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or other personal characteristics.

Services include a single Hate Incident Reporting Scheme, which covers the three district areas and allows victims and witnesses to report any hate incident they have been affected by, to a single telephone number or email address.

Concerned residents can also report incidents that they have been told about by another person, which is known as third party reporting.

Research shows that the very personal nature of some hate incidents means that victims and witnesses are often too scared to come forward and are more likely to suffer in silence, sometimes for years and those are the people that need our help and support.

For more information about the North Worcestershire Hate Incident Partnership, please visit unitedagainsthate.co.uk

Also look out for information stands in Redditch town centre on the July 30, Bromsgrove Recreation Ground on August 7 and Vicar Street, Kidderminster, on the August 15, where the group will be promoting the work of the Hate Incident Partnership and the reporting scheme.

For more information about the North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership, please visit nwcsp.org

SUE HANLEY Chairman North Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership