“NO HOME HERE” campaign launched by Police to tackle community harm

North Yorkshire Police has today (Wednesday 6 December 2017) launched a five-month campaign to help protect vulnerable victims of crime.

Titled “NO HOME HERE”, the campaign is designed to raise public awareness about a range of emotionally and physically harmful crimes that often go unnoticed because the victims are living in fear.

The intention is to highlight the patterns of behaviour of both the victims and those responsible for the harm, to the wider community and encourage reports into police via 101 or in an emergency via 999.

Online and media publicity is being used to promote the campaign, including targeted leaflets and posters to a range of people and organisations who are likely to come into contact with both victims and offenders.

With this increased awareness to spot the tell-tale signs, North Yorkshire Police is calling upon everybody in the local community to be extra vigilant and report incidents, either directly to the police or via an alternative reporting channel such as a dedicated charity.

The five strands of community harm that will be focused on during the campaign are:

  • domestic abuse (December)
  • child neglect (January)
  • stalking and harassment  (February)
  • hate (March)
  • modern slavery and human trafficking  (April)

(more…)

Liberal Democrats call for more support to York’s care services

Hospital report on A & E performance

Cllr Chris Cullwick, Liberal Democrat Vice Chair of the Council’s Health Committee, has written to the Secretary of State to highlight the imminent challenges York Teaching Hospital NHS Trust faces this winter.

In a recent meeting of the Health, Housing and Adult Social Care Policy and Scrutiny Committee, the Trust reported on a number of serious risks which would undermine their ability to handle increased demand for services during the winter period.

Care services in York continue to face unprecedented financial challenges and despite the recently announced £350 million by the Chancellor for the NHS this winter, far more is needed to create the extra capacity required.

The ramifications of a ‘hard’ Brexit are also being felt, as the Trust reported difficulties in recruiting to vacant positions, previously occupied by EU workers.

Cllr Chris Cullwick said:

“I am seriously concerned about our City’s capacity to effectively respond to increasing service demand this winter.

York’s NHS and Adult Social Care services are already facing huge financial pressures in their day-to-day work and given the Chancellor’s recent omission of Adult Social Care funding in his Autumn Budget, the burden looks set to worsen.

Furthermore, the Government’s dogged pursuit of a ‘Hard Brexit’ has adversely affected previously sustainable workforces.  Many EU Workers are leaving their care roles due to their tenuous position in the UK and services are finding it tough to replace them.  Even if more money was available, this seriously weakens the Trust’s ability to manage during the winter months.

The risks are clear and; the Government must act swiftly to address these issues.  I have written to the Secretary of State seeking his urgent attention to these issues and York’s position.

What’s on in York: Sankta Lucia – Festival of Light

An atmospheric, candlelit procession and carol service for all the family based on the traditional Swedish Lucia celebration.

8th Dec 2017

York Minster

7.30pm

FREE

7.30pm (doors open at 7pm)

An atmospheric, candlelit procession and carol service for all the family based on the traditional Swedish Lucia celebration.

In Sweden, Lucia is one of the most significant traditions in the calendar – a powerful symbol and celebration of light and an integral part of the Advent season.

The celebration of Sankta Lucia is based on the bravery and martyrdom of a young Sicilian girl – St Lucy – who died in the early fourth century. Her name and story reached Sweden along with Christianity, and she remained popular even after the Reformation as the bringer of light during the long darkness of winter.

The Lucia procession enters singing the traditional Lucia song, the tune of which was brought to Sweden from Italy in the middle of the 19th century. The singers are dressed in white gowns and carry candles, with Lucia herself as the focal point, wearing a crown of candles and a red ribbon round her waist, symbolising her martyrdom. The ‘starboys’ go back to a tradition of re-enacting the journey of the Magi on Twelfth Night.

The service is run in partnership with the York Anglo-Scandinavian Society.

No booking is required but please arrive early as this is a popular service.