Organisations across Plymouth could be set to profit from city criminals’ ill–gotten gains.
Devon & Cornwall Police has teamed up with Plymouth Live and our sister newspaper The Herald to launch the It’s Payback Time campaign.
The force has recovered £15,000 from criminal activity and city-based not-for-profit voluntary or community groups, registered charities, and social enterprise/ Company Interest Companies now have the chance to win a share of it.
This is possible thanks to the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) where cash and assets are confiscated from convicted offenders and given back to the community through the fund to help make a difference to people’s lives.
Grants are available to people whose projects improve life in the local community, make people feel safer or help to cut crime and antisocial behaviour.
Chief Superintendent Dave Thorne, Commander for Plymouth Police, said: “We are delighted to support these very deserving groups and charities through this scheme which ensures cash gained from criminal enterprise goes back into the community where it belongs.
“The POCA grants give us the opportunity to benefit those who are striving to make the community a better place by developing initiatives which both support people in need, improve lives and make city communities safer.”
To enter an organisation fill in the online form before the deadline of October 14.
To qualify, organisations should provide services or facilities for the benefit of people and/or communities in the Plymouth Policing Area and the activity or use of the grant must be delivered within the Plymouth Policing Area.
The grant does not fund building or refurbishments, consultancy fees, feasibility studies, grant making organisations, national or regional charities — unless there is a local branch with its own management committee and bank account, overseas travel, promotion of political or religious beliefs, and retrospective funding for activity which has already happened.
For further guidelines please consult the terms and conditions on the website.
All nominated groups that meet the entry criteria will be shortlisted and published in The Herald on October 29 in The Herald, and online at www.plymouthlive.com/paybacktime.
You’ll then have the chance to vote for your favourite via tokens printed in the paper each week. The group with the most votes will win £5,000. Second place wins £3,000, third place £2,000, and 10 runners up will win £500 each.
All votes must be received by December 11, 2019. The winners will be presented with their prizes at a ceremony on December 17, 2019.
