PCC announces funding boost to prevent and tackle serious violence

Community groups who help young and vulnerable people to build resilience and steer them clear of serious violence are being invited to join efforts to help Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland become safer and stronger.

Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has announced the availability of fresh grant funding as part of his mission to empower communities to prevent serious violence and safeguard people from becoming victims and perpetrators.

The latest round of the Commissioner’s Community Action Fund focuses on Violence and Vulnerability and will provide vital financial support to community organisations, charities, voluntary groups and parish councils who are committed to reducing violence, protecting vulnerable people and encouraging communities to thrive.

Violence and Vulnerability is a key priority in the PCC’s new Police and Crime Plan, with the Commissioner vowing to help people feel safer in their homes and on the streets. He has promised to leave no stone unturned in his efforts to reduce knife crime and serious violence and prevent young people from being drawn into criminal behaviour.

Grants of up to £10k are available to invest in projects which support the Commissioner’s work and help people to get back on track. These could include school-based violence prevention programmes that teach young people conflict resolution and resilience skills, targeted outreach activity such as street-based engagement that connect with young people in the places where they meet and healthy relationship workshops in schools and community groups to raise awareness of consent, respect and how to identify coercive control.

Other eligible projects could include youth mentoring and diversion programmes that provide positive opportunities for young people through sport, arts and skills training, conflict resolution workshops to teach young people how to manage disputes without violence, youth leadership programmes encouraging young people to become positive role models and sports-based initiatives, creative arts projects and skills and employment training to build self-esteem, help young people to express themselves and to develop confidence.

Opening the fund, Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews said: “Serious violence and knife crime are community-wide challenges. It is only by working together that we will make a meaningful impact and help our towns and city to thrive and prosper.

“I value highly the work our community partners are undertaking all year round to identify and deliver solutions to serious violence. This fund recognises those efforts and draws on their diverse expertise and insights to help people change direction before they are harmed or cause harm.

“Serious violence is indiscriminate – few cities or towns are immune to its problems. While we continue to turn the tide on these offences across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, it is important we act fast and decisively to guide more young people on the right path and provide them with alternatives to stop violence from claiming more lives.”

The PCC works collaboratively with Leicestershire Police’s Violence and Complex Crime Unit’s Prevention Team, the Violence Reduction Network (VRN) and other key partners to prevent and reduce serious violence and knife crime across the city and two counties.

The Home Office previously confirmed in 2024 that serious violence in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is reducing and the area was hailed for best practice in 2023 for its proactive approach.

The PCC’s new funding round aims to prioritise public-place violence, knife-enabled violence, domestic abuse, stalking and harassment and sexual violence, and is based on the findings of the VRN’s annual Serious Violence Strategic Needs Assessment.

This local research has identified common vulnerabilities that increase the risk of violence including school exclusions, substance misuse, exposure to abuse, neglect or instability and learning and development challenges.

The Violence and Vulnerability Grant Round will close on Tuesday 31st March 2026 at 16:59. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be considered.

For more information please go to: https://www.leics.pcc.police.uk/what-we-do/commissioning/current-funding-available/community-action-fund/round-3---violence-and-vulnerability/

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