Bradford young people “OnTrak” with Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund
Young people in Bradford are learning to fix bicycles and go-karts as part of efforts to keep them safe thanks to funding from the Mayor of West Yorkshire.
19th January 2024
Young people in Bradford are learning to fix bicycles and go-karts as part of efforts to keep them safe thanks to funding from the Mayor of West Yorkshire.
Alongside teaching practical skills, children’s charity OnTrak shows groups of youngsters about the consequences of poor decisions.
With the help of West Yorkshire Police, they cover topics such as gun and knife crime, grooming and county lines drug trafficking.
The project received £7,780 from the Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund and on Wednesday (17 January) she visited the charity’s Wibsey base to meet staff and some of the programme’s participants.
Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said: “We want all our communities in West Yorkshire to thrive and feel safe.
“To do so, we are empowering local organisations to help their areas using money taken from the hands of criminals.
“I was delighted to see first-hand the impact this project is having on the lives of young people and meet members of the fantastic charity running it.”
Adrian Woods MBE, founder of the OnTrak Community Initiative, said: “The funding has made a big difference to children and families involved in the project.
“We keep activities fun at the same time as getting across important messages from West Yorkshire Police at a level young people can understand.
“They have turned a corner, but we have to make sure they stay on the right track.
“We’ve seen young people finish the project and go on to volunteer with us and we’ve also been able to offer some of them paid work.”
The charity’s alternative education programme sees it work with around 12 young people at a time. They work on bicycles and go kart maintenance, with a day out on the last week go karting. At the programme’s end they also get to take a bike home they have fixed themselves.
The Mayor’s fund is financed from monies recovered by West Yorkshire Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 lets the police and prosecutors confiscate or recover the proceeds of crime from criminals.
OnTrak received a grant from a previous MSCF round awarded last year. Funds for the latest round are due to be awarded in February, with a further round due to open for fresh applications in Spring 2024. Visit https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/policing-and-crime/mayor-s-safer-communities-fund/
Pictured from left to right, Adrian Woods founder of the OnTrak Community Initiative and Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire.