Police & Crime Commissioner visits prisoner support charity as part of ongoing engagement activity
Matthew Barber, Police & Crime Commissioner for Thames Valley, recently visited Bucks Association for the Care of Offenders (BACO) as part of his ongoing engagement with partners and funded organisations
On Friday (20/1), Matthew Barber visited prisoner support charity BACO at the Youth Offending Service Offices in Aylesbury. The visit provided an opportunity for Matthew to find out how £5,000 of funding, awarded via the PCC’s Community Fund, will support BACO to help prevent crime across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
BACO is a registered charity with the aim of supporting offenders to break their cycle of criminal behaviour and reintegrate back into society. They work in co-operation with the Prison Service and Probation, but independently of both. BACO also provides support to ex-offenders living within Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
Following his visit, Matthew said: “It was a pleasure to meet with the team from BACO last week, to find out how funding through the Community Fund will support their work with offenders in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to break the cycle of offending and integrate back into society. It was also great to hear how they provide support to the Buckinghamshire Youth Offending Service (YOS).
“I would also like to encourage community groups across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to apply for the latest round of my Community Fund. Applications close on Monday 6 February at 4pm, with further details available on the PCC website.
“I wish BACO all the best with their future work, and I look forward to continuing to visit more organisations in 2023 whose work supports my Police & Criminal Justice Plan for Thames Valley.”
Camilla Soames, Chairperson for BACO, said: “'Our Trustees were delighted to meet Matthew at the Youth Offending Service Offices in Aylesbury last week, to advise how the Community Fund award of £5,000 was being spent to help prevent crime in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. Our work is dependent upon forging good working relationships and our thanks to Ollie Foxell, Deputy Head of Buckinghamshire Youth Offending Service, for attending the meeting.
“Katie Boots, Team Manager for Buckinghamshire YOS, spoke of the invaluable support she and her team receive when they identify a need and how quick BACO is to respond and make a financial contribution to meet an identified need.”
This visit was made as part of an ongoing programme of engagement work run by the Office of the Police & Crime Commissioner, which will organise regular visits with the Police & Crime Commissioner, partners and funded organisations throughout 2023.
