A scheme in Conwy County Borough that received funding to provide activities and opportunities for young people was the focus of two visits by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Andy Dunbobbin.

The Community Outreach initiative, run by Conwy Youth Engagement and Belonging, was given funding as part of the North Wales Serious Violence Response Strategy.

This strategy aims to work with communities to prevent and reduce serious violence across the region.

On October 14, Mr Dunbobbin visited the Barn at Parc Eirias, where a group of young people were playing football after school under the leadership of Senior Youth Work Practitioner Chris Gledhill and colleagues Jim Walters and Andy Jones.

The after-school sessions allow young people to get off the streets and be active in a fun and supervised manner.

On October 15, the PCC and colleagues Diane Jones, Serious Violence Programme Lead and Catrin Jones, Serious Violence Programme Support Officer, joined a ‘Tea and Toast’ session at Tŷ Hapus on Ffordd Penrhyn in Llandudno.

One of the young people attending the session at Tŷ Hapus, Liam, aged 15, said: "I like coming to the club as it helps mentally and physically.

"It also helps with schoolwork and revision.

"It’s also a safe space to come and make friends and just to be you.

"The club also involves mentor work and if we’re struggling with certain things we can come here and talk to the youth workers and they will help us through it."

Young members of the Tea and Toast session at Ty Hapus with adults (L to R) Diane Jones, Andy Dunbobbin, Catrin Jones, Chris Gledhill and Ruth Davies (Image: Supplied) Mr Gledhill said: "I believe our role as youth workers is vital to help provide young people with alternative ways to be active and engage in positive and structured activities with us.

"We feel privileged to be in a position where we can offer support and guidance to young people that are struggling or need a safe space to talk and be themselves.

"Our partnership work with the local family centre team is also invaluable in being able to strengthen our supportive youth work offer, to help empower young people to become positive members of their communities."

Mr Dunbobbin said: "Serious violence has a profound impact on individuals and communities across North Wales.

"During 2022-23 over 30,000 offences of violence against the person were recorded by the police across the region.

"While this was a welcome decrease from the year before – and shows the hard work of North Wales Police and partners in the community – I am determined to see this figure drop even further."

For more information about the strategy and its purpose, visit the North Wales PCC website.