How proceeds of crime are being used to support girls’ sport in St Helens

Money clawed back from criminals is being used to help girls’ sport in St Helens.

A sum of £2,000 has been donated to St Helens Bees Netball Club after assistant head coach Jodie Gaskell successfully applied for funds from the Saint Safe scheme organised by St Helens Police to put proceeds of crime money back into the community.

It will use the money later this year to establish an event aimed at keeping females active and involved in sport and, specifically, netball.

Leanne Hobin, founder and head coach at St Helens Bees, says:

“64% of girls drop out of sport by the time they finish puberty, often due to period symptoms and body image concerns, and we want to change that.

“We want to retain as many of our girls as possible and the £2000 we’ve been awarded will enable us to run an incredible event in November as part of the England NetballHer initiative.”

St Helens Bees’ NetballHer will take place at Sutton Leisure Centre on November 20 with stalls and activities offering support and advice about girls’ mental health and wellbeing, periods, bra fittings and more.

“This is the first event of its kind across the country,” says Jodie, “and has attracted attention from our governing body, England Netball, and Merseyside County Netball Association who will be in attendance.

“We want to showcase this event and the amazing work we are doing within the club to ensure our girls stay in sport, remain positive about exercise, and don’t let this world of negative peer pressure and social media affect them as they go through this transition in their lives.”

The £2,000 awarded came from a £50,000 fund pot filled via funds seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act, ensuring that money taken from criminal activity is reinvested directly back into improving the local community.

Groups in St Helens were invited to apply for funds of up to £3,000 for local projects earlier this year, with applicants facing an audience made up of members of the community who heard their hopes and ideas and decided who should be successful.

Inspector Josh Griffiths from St Helens Neighbourhood Policing Team said at the time:

“We’re delighted to see such enthusiasm from local organisations in St Helens, all committed to making their community a safer and better place to live, work and visit.

“It’s particularly rewarding to see funds that have been seized from criminals now being put to positive use within our community.”

Jodie says the Bees’ NetballHer Event will be ‘fun, vibrant, and informative’ with stalls including:

* Sports bra fittings & advice from PEBE

* Nixibody – period underwear company offering support & resources

* Specialist female adolescent GPs giving advice on girls’ health & wellbeing

* Ahead of The Game mental health input

* Smoothie exercise bikes 

* Cakes and refreshments 

“And so much more,” she adds. “We have around 10-15 junior coaches within the club and, as positive role models to our younger ballers, we are encouraging these girls to be fully emerged in the event too.

“We’re asking them to run some of our fun activity stalls, like creating ‘court short bags’, small kits filled with sanitary products for training and kit bags in case of emergencies, and making friendship bracelets and creating positive affirmation posters with the girls. There will also be supporting netball-based activities run by the coaches.

“We want to encourage open and relaxed conversations around body image, periods, and confidence in sport, and how girls have been impacted by periods and changes in body image.”

And Leanne goes on: “We are run entirely by volunteers and committed to making sure our girls retain their love of netball and continue to shine on court.”

NetballHer will take place Thursday, November 20 from 6pm at Sutton Leisure Centre. 

Find out more about NetballHer here.

Find all the latest St Helens news here.

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