Campaign to raise awareness of knife harm
New research undertaken by the Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit (VVU) shows that 69% of parents in Essex are concerned about knife crime in their local area. Two thirds of parents are also worried about their child becoming a victim of knife crime. The VVU has responded to these concerns by producing four short films […]
Community Grants launched for 2023 delivery
We have launched our Community Grants fund for 2022 – 2024. As a partnership, our goal is to reduce serious violence, the harm it causes, and to safeguard those at risk, specifically relating to county lines, gangs and knife crime. Local organisations do some amazing work that addresses these issues and the grant fund is […]
Essex Countywide Violence and Vulnerability Unit is recruiting – come and join our team! July 2022
This an exciting opportunity for anyone passionate and motivated about transforming the way Serious Violence is addressed. Essex is one of twenty areas that have secured funding from the Home Office to develop a Violence Reduction Unit (VRU). The Essex VRU (known as the Violence & Vulnerability Unit) has been established to collaborate across organisational […]
People, Partnerships and Prevention Conference: May 2022
Last week the VVU attended the People, Partnerships and Prevention Conference hosted by the PFCC for Essex, Roger Hirst. The conference gave delegates the chance to hear about how partners across Essex are united in their work to help communities stay safe, prevent crime and protect the vulnerable. We listened to Professor Jonathan Shepherd explain […]
Knife bins and knife amnesty: May 2022
This week (Monday 9 May) a knife amnesty has launched across Essex alongside the rollout of new knife bins at 14 sites across the county, including a new knife bin at Grays. The knife bins now feature the artwork of the three secondary school pupils who won our competition to design an anti-knife poster for […]
Operation Henderson: April 2022
Last week outreach workers were out across Essex as part of Operation Henderson. Operation Henderson is the campaign to raise awareness of exploitation on public transport. Youth Workers, Community Safety Partnerships, Community Policing Teams and Social Workers had some great conversations with bus station and train station workers, taxi drivers, members of the public and […]