Local Beaver and Scout groups from North Manchester, and Yetminster in Dorset have all been awarded free security kits to help lock up their premises and equipment. The awards were made during the Covid-19 lockdown and were part of an initiative from the Burg-Wächter Secure Communities Scheme to help community projects to meet the unexpected costs of securing premises during the pandemic.
The 346th Cub, Beaver and Scout group, based in North Manchester, provides purposeful and fun activities for its members. Children and young people enjoy rising to the challenges and activities the group arranges for them, designed to foster teamwork and build leadership skills. The group is based in a community building, but the site has been subject to break-ins and burglaries. To help address this, the Secure Communities Scheme awarded the group a Premises security kit in September with padlocks, chains and a key safe. This kit secures the access to the building and provides a coded key management system. It provides the ability for approved people to access the building without having individual keys and also increases overall security levels in terms of current or future lockdowns.
In Yetminster, the busy scout group usually meets up weekly at its base, which is also used by the local table tennis club. Not only were the Scout meetings put on hold during the pandemic, but the leaders were also worried about the security of their hall. The Scouts use it to store their equipment, including tents and camping gear and the hall is an attractive target for mischief makers. To keep the equipment and the hall safe, the Secure Communities Scheme awarded a community hall security kit in June, plus window locks as an extra precaution. This increased the overall protection for the hall and allowed them to lock up higher value items individually.
Mark Pearson from Burg-Wächter, the company behind the Secure Communities Scheme commented: “Burg-Wächter is known for its comprehensive choice of locking products as well as an extensive range of safes and post-boxes. We saw a rise in demand for such products during the Covid-19 lockdown. We knew that communities would struggle to meet the unexpected cost of providing extra security during the restrictions, so we adapted our existing Secure Communities Scheme to reflect this need. Since lockdown commenced, we have provided over 20 security kits worth £150 each to communities across the UK, with many more applications currently being processed. We hope the Scheme’s support for these football clubs will help members feel safe, keep equipment secure and training enjoyable.
The Secure Communities Scheme is now seeking more applications from community projects that are still affected by the pandemic restrictions. Any local initiative that is run by or supports the local community can apply. Successful applicants receive a tailored security kit to help secure property, premises, equipment or storage areas to the value of £150. Successful applications are selected dependent on their engagement with local communities, the impact of the lockdown on security requirements and the benefits that increased security can provide. Application forms for the Secure Communities Scheme can be found here: https://uk.burg.biz/community/. More information on the groups can be found here – 346th Manchester Scout Group: https://nmdscouts.org.uk/our-groups/346th%20Manchester/ Yetminster Scout Group – https://nmdscouts.org.uk/our-groups/346th%20Manchester/