Hemel Hempstead-based crime reduction initiatives are among 17 projects chosen by Herts’ police and crime commissioner David Lloyd to receive vital cash grants.
The allocations, from the commissioner’s new Community Fund, total more than £150,000 and are intended to boost schemes which help keep communities safe.
Among the beneficiaries is the charity Billy’s Wish, which was set up in memory of 21-year-old Billy Dove, who was killed in a knife attack in Hemel Hempstead town centre in 2011.
The £1,500 awarded to the campaign will be used for branded gifts to accompany knife education screenings in primary and secondary schools in the area.
Billy’s Wish trustee Jan Maddern said: “This is fantastic news. The money will enable us to purchase age-relevant items to give to young people which they can carry with them so that they always have a point of contact in an emergency.”
The South Hill Centre was awarded £5,720 towards a crèche at its Cemetery Hill base, which supports victims of crime including domestic violence, while the Hemel Hempstead Street Pastors scheme was given £4,500 to help with recruiting and training a new team.
Mr Lloyd said: “The quality and ambition on display shows people really want to make our communities safer.
“We are at our strongest when the police, the public and all partner agencies pull together. These grants are great examples of how everybody has something to offer to keep the county safe.”