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Police in Portsmouth give the community a day to remember at College Park

Press Releases

Published: 03/08/2010


On Sunday, August 1, the Copnor & North End Safer Neighbourhoods team (SNT) held a free community event for people in the area.

The event, which was aptly nicknamed ‘Gig in the Park’, was put on by PCSO Helen Jolley. Helen organised the entire event, raising funds through the police to pay for everything for the community’s benefit.

The family-friendly day included a number of activities and entertainment for everyone, ranging from Human table football, bouncy castles, three dance performances, a dog show, and more.

In addition to this, a variety of local agencies were on site to give advice and guidance, and chat to people about any issues in their area.

PCSO Jolley said: "It was an amazing day; I couldn’t be more pleased with how well it went. We had such a great turnout and the people who came were really pleased."

"The agencies that got involved were very supportive and eager to highlight what benefits they could offer the residents of Copnor and surrounding areas."

Everyone who got involved felt the day went brilliantly, considering it a great success. Dave Terrill from Streetforce Dance Company said his dance group were "extremely proud" to be part of the event.

He commented: "Uniting young performers and persons together with the policing team and local services is a perfect way of bringing the whole community closer together, and to ensure everyone’s needs are understood."

PCSO Jolley added: "By meeting and talking to people in the area, agencies and organisations such as ourselves can build bridges with members of the public and help them to feel safe in the knowledge that we are here for them."

Express FM DJ Simon Gibbons, who did a live broadcast from the event, said: "It was a great day and really good to see so many people turn up - from the police, the stall holders and all the families that took part. The event had a friendly atmosphere and was fun to be part of, and really showed the police care about people and make an effort for them."

Chief Superintendant David Peacock, Portsmouth commander, said: "I am really impressed with the efforts that the Copnor team went to to organise such a fantastic event. It was a clear success and there was a strong turnout from the area, with many people eager to speak to their local officers.

"Events like this are important in terms of our levels of engagement with the community. It benefits us because we get to know everyone in our area and learn more about what issues they feel need addressing. Further more, it benefits the community because they get to see their local police in a different, more approachable environment, which is what we aim to show people. They also get to learn more about what other services are available in the area they live, how they can seek help or guidance, and how they can better their lives.

"I’m very pleased with the officers who took the time to run this event. PCSO Helen Jolley has shown that we care about our communities, and I hope that the Safer Neighbourhoods teams of Portsmouth can do more events like this in the future."

If you would like to learn more about your local Safer Neighbourhoods team, please visit www.hampshire.police.uk and follow the map to find your local policing team. Alternatively you can contact your local team via phone by calling 101.

 


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