Safer Communities

16/06/2026

Here until 2pm at Jubilee Centre, Stockton, lots of organisations here providing advice & support, come along & say hello

Refugee Futures
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

15/06/2026

Come and see us!

We’ll be in Stockton tomorrow at the Services Fair for Asylum Seekers and Refugees.

Date: Tuesday 16 June
Time: 11am - 2pm
Address: Jubilee Centre, Yarm Road, Stockton, TS18 3NW

Pop in for a chat and pick up useful advice on housing, community safety, healthcare, employment and more.

We hope to see you there.

12/06/2026

Everyone at Safer Communities is deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the death of PC Jess Turnbull, who lost her life while serving her community.

Our thoughts are with Jess’ family, friends and colleagues at Northumbria Police at this devastating time.

Jess Turnbull "had so much to look forward to in her career and her life", the chief constable says.

12/06/2026

🎉 Save the date! 🎉

We'll be at this year's Eid Fusion Festival on Sunday 5 July 2026 at Ropner Park, from 12 noon to 5pm.

This free family event will be a fantastic celebration of culture and community, with delicious food, live entertainment and something for everyone to enjoy.

If you're coming along, be sure to stop by our stand and say hello. We look forward to seeing you there!

10/06/2026

WOW! £1 million recovered for scam victims across Cleveland!!

That’s the incredible milestone now reached by our groundbreaking Financial Fraud Advocates service. 🙌🙌🙌

Behind that figure are people who have been targeted by sophisticated criminals, left feeling ashamed, overwhelmed and unsure where to turn.

Our FFA team stands alongside victims, helping them gather evidence, challenge decisions and pursue complaints with banks, financial institutions and the Financial Ombudsman where appropriate.

One local man has recovered the final £25,000 of a £100,000 loss after being caught up in the multi-million pound Moneda Capital scam.

This is what specialist victim support can do.

The service is delivered through VCAS and funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland, Trading Standards teams from Hartlepool Borough Council, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Middlesbrough Council and Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and money recovered from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Huge well done to everyone involved. 😊

Read the full story here.

The Financial Fraud Advocates (FFA) pilot, run by Safer Communities, has now recovered a total of £289,587.17 for people targeted by scammers across the region.

10/06/2026

📅 Save the date!

We’ll be in Stockton on Thursday 16 June at the Services Fair for Asylum Seekers and Refugees, 11am-2pm.

Pop in for a chat and pick up useful advice on housing, community safety, healthcare, employment and more.

We hope to see you there.

08/06/2026

Think you've spotted a scam?

Knowing where to report it can help protect you and others. Here's who to contact:

🚔 Report Fraud
All fraud in the UK can be reported to Report Fraud, the national reporting service for fraud and cyber crime. Reports can be made online or by phone and your local police force will be informed.
Tel: 0300 123 2040
www.reportfraud.police.uk

🏦 Banking scams
Dial 159 to be connected directly to your bank's fraud team. For other ways of contacting your bank, only use the details on your bank card or your bank's official website.

📧 Scam emails
Forward suspicious emails to: [email protected]

📱 Scam texts and calls
Save 7726 in your phone contacts.
• Forward scam text messages to 7726.
• To report a scam call, copy the phone number into a text message, type CALL before the number and send it to 7726.

Reporting scams helps protect our communities and could prevent someone else from becoming a victim.

04/06/2026

What is Restorative Justice?

Restorative justice is a different way of dealing with crime and antisocial behaviour. Instead of just focusing on punishment, it brings together the people affected to talk about what happened, how it made them feel and what can be done to make things right.

It gives victims a chance to have their say, ask questions and explain the impact the incident had on them. And it gives the person who caused the harm a chance to take responsibility and try to make amends.

It’s always voluntary and handled with care - no one is forced to take part. But when it works it can help everyone involved move forward.

Want to know more? Visit our website: https://restorativecleveland.co.uk/understanding-restorative-justice/

02/06/2026

Our Victim Care & Advice service has been supporting Karen and her family - her story is a powerful reminder that the impact of crime does not end when the immediate danger is over.

For many victims, the trauma continues for months and years afterwards.

Karen has asked us to share her thanks to Emma at VCAS, who has supported her through some very difficult months after returning home.

Karen said: “Without the support from Emma from VCAS I don’t know what I would have done. She has been the most consistent person throughout these last few months of being back in the house. I don’t think she actually realises how much her support has meant to me. I don’t think I would have coped.”

The Guardian
Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland

Karen Holmes lost a son to cancer, then her home in Yorkshire to a fire; the house is now refurbished but its meaning has gone

02/06/2026

What is identity theft?

Identity theft is when a criminal steals your personal information such as your name, date of birth or address and uses it to commit fraud. This might include opening accounts or applying for loans in your name.

Criminals can get hold of your details in different ways. This can include taking old bank statements from your post, setting up mail redirection without you knowing or using social media to build a picture of your life.

There are simple steps you can take to help protect yourself:

• Check your bank statements regularly for anything you do not recognise
• Review your privacy settings online and be mindful of what personal information you share
• Shred or safely destroy any documents with personal or financial details
• Contact your bank straight away if you receive a loan or card you did not apply for
• Report lost cards, driving licences or passports as soon as possible
• Be careful who has access to your post

Staying alert to small details can make a big difference in keeping your information safe.