POLICE in Tameside have come to the aid of a young girl and her family by buying them a sofa bed.
Officers and staff from the Greater Manchester force’s Tameside Prevention Hub have been working closely with young children to keep them out of crime and break the vicious cycle of gang recruitment by safeguarding those at risk of being lured into organised crime.
And after a 13-year-old was identified as needing additional support, with her family needing some help to buy her a bed, staff clubbed together and raised enough money to be able to purchase a sofa bed from an auction house in Huddersfield.
It may not sound much in the fight against crime, but the role of prevention hubs is to develop new and innovative approaches to prevent and reduce crime in communities.
This week, the team got to deliver the bed to the young girl and her family.
PC Martin Dench from Tameside’s Prevention Hub said: “We work closely with a lot of vulnerable young people, and we do our best to support them in different ways. Being able to secure this bed and see the smile on her face made our day.
“We know that it can be difficult for families, and that’s why we have come together to do all we can to help this young girl. This is not just a one-off, here in the Prevention Hub we work with lots of fantastic young people, empowering them build their confidence and equipping them with the tools to live a happy life.
“Working with our partners, including Tameside Social Services and our Complex Safeguarding Hub, we endeavour to offer young children and their families the security and support that they need.”