A scheme that aims to support people with learning disabilities to keep themselves safe and to get help in the event of an emergency when out and about has been launched in Potters Bar.
Keep Safe is a community safety scheme run in partnership with learning disabilities charity Herts People First. As part of the initiative, retailers, businesses and public and community services are invited to join and to provide people with learning disabilities a place to make a phone call in the event of an emergency and to contact a parent, carer or support worker, the police or another emergency service.
Premises signed up to the scheme ensure they are easily identifiable to people with learning disabilities by displaying an orange ‘Keep Safe’ sticker in their windows. People with learning disabilities carry an ‘in case of emergency’ telephone number on their Keep Safe card, key ring or in an easy to find place on their mobile phone.
The scheme was launched at Sainsbury’s in Potters Bar on Friday (4th December), with staff at the Sainsbury Centre supermarket putting up a sticker in the window. Other locations to have signed up to the scheme so far are Tesco Express, Furzefield Leisure Centre, Cranborne Place and King Charles the Martyr Church of England, all in Mutton Lane, and Wyllyotts Theatre in Darkes Lane.
Currently Hertfordshire has in the region of 300 Keep Safe premises and the Constabulary is working to increase this number.
Local residents with learning disabilities who set up Keep Safe in the town with their local Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) said:
Helena now has her new Keep Safe key ring which has her emergency contact telephone number on it. She said: “I’ve got a Keep Safe key-ring and this is very good.”
Bradley, who helped put up Keep Safe stickers around town, said: “It is good to help keep people safe.”
Richard said: “Keep Safe is for protecting ourselves in case anything happens. It’s good for me to get to know my local police – because you never know.”
Cara added: “It is good to know where I can get help if someone makes fun of me. I do turn the other way but it is difficult sometimes.”
Sgt Noel Buckley, from the Potters Bar and Shenley Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “Having six shops and businesses signed up already is a great start, and I thank them for their support. Their helps means that there are now places people with learning disabilities can go if they need to get support and help, whether it be to ask for a police officer if they have been a victim of, or witnessed a crime, or need assistance from another emergency service or someone who is close to them.
“We would welcome any more shops and businesses that want to get involved in this excellent scheme. If you’d like to sign up to the scheme please contact the Potters Bar Safer Neighbourhood Team by calling 101.”
PCSO Ramsdeen added: “Keep Safe is a great scheme which brings us closer to those that may need our help. We have got to know local people with learning disabilities through setting up Keep Safe in Potters Bar and also raised awareness of local residents and businesses.”
Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd, said: “Keep Safe is a scheme which I give my full support to. Sadly, people with learning disabilities can be more vulnerable to hate-motivated crime, so it is vital we do all we can to protect them from this crime and make it easier for them to report it.
“But we can all play our part, as community groups, employers or as individuals, in helping to keep people safe and it is great to see businesses in Potters Bar taking this opportunity.”
Keep Safe Co-ordinator for Herts People First Jane Dellow said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Constabulary to introduce Keep Safe across the county. I especially want to thank the shops and businesses as well as the local residents with a learning disability who worked so hard to set up Keep Safe in Potters Bar.
“Sometimes people with learning disabilities are not sure about approaching the police for help, however when working in a team with their local officers to set up Keep Safe, they get the chance to meet the people behind the uniforms and soon realise there is nothing to fear and it is the same for local officers who get to meet the people behind the disability.
“People with learning disabilities really like the Keep Safe community safety scheme – and say that it is reassuring for them to know where they can get help and support if need be and how their local community, business and services are so welcoming of the scheme.”
Cllr Peter Knell, Hertsmere Borough and Hertfordshire County Councillor, attended the launch event. He said afterwards: “I will always do as much as I can for community safety. Keep Safe brings awareness to the public of what we can all do to keep people safe. Everybody in our community needs to be kept safe.”
Retailers, businesses and public services interested in helping to introduce Keep Safe premises in their local areas should visit the Keep Safe pages on the Hertfordshire Constabulary website at www.herts.police.uk/keepsafe. Alternatively call your local SNT via the police non-emergency number 101.