A Weston charity has been awarded £4,000 to give out to projects which help tackle and prevent violence in Weston and Worle.

Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) Weston been given the funding by the North Somerset Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to distribute to new initiatives which reduce the harmful impact of violence in communities.

A VRU was set up in North Somerset to focus principally on the areas of Weston and Worle which account for two thirds of all crime and disorder recorded by police.

The VRU priorities include reducing youth violence, alcohol related violence, domestic violence, vulnerabilities to exploitation, knife crime and awareness of the harms, and to improve the safety of the local area.

ROC Weston is asking people to submit proposals which will help with the prevention and early intervention of violent crime, align with the VRU priorities and meet a need as outlined in a report written by the charity following a meeting in February.

ROC Leaders Dave and Penny Hynds said: “In these extraordinary times we are eager to build upon the huge community response seen during lockdown, to harness the creativity and entrepreneurship of individuals and groups to help build safer and kinder communities in Weston.

“The funding is to seed small projects that may go on to become self-sustaining and carry on for years, to provide the impetus to make a difference.”

The scheme has previously run successfully in Keighley and Bradford East, West Yorkshire in partnership with ROC.

ROC is a national charity aimed at transforming communities by bringing organisations together to reduce crime and disorder.

Funding applicants are asked to outline how the money will be used and to show how the initiative is not duplicating any ongoing work.

A Dragon’s Den style panel will judge the entries and funding upwards of £500 could be granted to successful applications.

All funding must be used by March 31, 2021.

The application form can be downloaded by logging on to https://forms.gle/JAUb4Gt5Bukfmg7F6 or applicants can submit a video and email it to daveandpennyroc@gmail.com

Applicants have until October 15 to enter.