Belle Vale community projects benefit from £25,000 funding from Merseyside Police

Belle Vale residents came together to vote on how £25,000, seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act by Merseyside Police, should be reinvested into their neighbourhood.

Organised by Inspector Steve Reilly from the Neighbourhood Policing Team, the event, held at the Millennium Centre in Belle Vale, brought together 11 community groups who had submitted bids.

The event saw a fantastic turnout as community groups, charities and grassroots organisations pitched their ideas to improve life in Belle Vale.

Voting was led by a working group including representatives from Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council, Merseyside Fire and Rescue and local housing providers, ensuring a fair and collaborative decision-making process.

After a day of inspiring presentations and community voting, funding was awarded to all 11 of the shortlisted applicants, each one truly deserving for their impactful, community-driven initiatives:

South Liverpool Judo Academy CIC – The Academy will run judo lessons to at-risk youth from the area – building discipline, respect, and community through martial arts.

VIBE Liverpool CIC – Our School Holiday Scheme offers weekly workshops in music, arts, well-being, and inclusive sports—bringing together local facilitators and volunteers to support social interaction, skill-building, and personal growth for children from mainstream and SEN schools.

Netherton Youth & Community Initiative – To run the ‘Sound Futures’ programme with young people and empowering them through music, performance, and skill-building. The project will give young people the opportunity to perform and record their own music while qualified youth workers will have vital conversations about knife crime and drugs.

SCCYP – To deliver a 20-week outreach programme aimed at older children in Belle Vale with accredited trampolining and bouldering sessions, designed around their interests to foster positive, age-appropriate participation.

St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School – The Youth Gardening Programme brings children aged 4–11 together to learn, grow, and connect with hands-on environmental activities that build life skills and foster positive relationships with Merseyside Police.

Lonely Arts Club – The Club provides a safe space for local families to explore, discuss and create art – building confidence, communication, and empathy in our diverse community.

St Stephen’s & St Mark’s Churches – The church is creating a welcoming green space where people of all backgrounds and local children can come together to learn, grow, and connect through nature, including a youth-led hedge maze and wildlife garden designed to inspire adventure, creativity, and new skills.

Woodlands Community Centre – An inclusive School Holiday Club for children and young people aged 6 to 16 years offering meals and activities such as chef workshops, forest school, circus and sports.

Lee Valley Pensioners Club – Offers year-round access for up to 65 older people to connect with Merseyside Police and other agencies, tackling everyday challenges through engagement and support.

Valley Community Theatre – Empowering a group of young people in Belle Vale to create their own music using professional staff, studio facilities, and cutting-edge equipment.

Belle Vale, Hunts Cross and Mossley Hill Children’s Centres – The funding will enhance its outdoor space with new equipment and planting resources, promoting healthy lifestyles, learning through play, and positive values to help reduce anti-social behaviour in the long-term.

Each of these projects will now receive grants ranging from £1,000 to £5,000 to bring their ideas to life, whether that’s supporting young people, improving public spaces, or offering vital services to vulnerable residents.

Local Policing Inspector Steve Reilly from the Neighbourhood Policing Team said:

“This event was a brilliant example of what happens when communities come together with a shared goal. We’re proud to support initiatives that take money out of the hands of criminals and put it back where it belongs, into the heart of our neighbourhoods.

“Events like this are a key part of neighbourhood policing and our Safer Streets Summer campaign. They show the work we do every day of the year to keep our communities safe, build trust and support the people who make a real difference.”

Policing activity will take place across Merseyside as part of the Safer Streets Summer initiative, with enhanced high-visibility patrols in hotspot areas for serious violence, ASB, theft and robbery.

The Safer Streets Summer campaign forms part of the Government’s Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee. As part of this, every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have dedicated teams spending their time on the beat, with guaranteed police patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas at peak times.

Find more information on the Merseyside Police website.

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