West Yorkshire Mayor hands out criminals' cash to community groups

The mayor said the awards recognised those working to make every community "thrive and be safe"

More than £500,000 recovered from criminals has been awarded to over 70 groups in West Yorkshire.

The West Yorkshire Mayor's Safer Communities Fund Awards saw a range of organisations benefit at a ceremony in Wakefield on Thursday.

Mayor Tracy Brabin said the awards were about "empowering" groups to help their neighbourhoods.

Those included organisations working with young people and supporting the mental health of homeless people.

"We want every community in West Yorkshire to thrive and be safe," Ms Brabin said.

"To do so, we are empowering local organisations to help their neighbourhoods through money taken from the hands of criminals."

She said the projects being celebrated were working across the region to make "their local areas feel safer".

Among the 73 projects receiving cheques from a fund totalling £506,097.82 were:

• Emerge in Bradford who are putting their funding towards working with young people in Holme Wood and Bierley

• Behind Closed Doors will be delivering a healthy relationships programme for young women aged 13-16 in Leeds

• The Egalitarian are using their funding to deliver a spiking and sexual violence awareness course to bar staff and management in Wakefield

• Bumpy in Kirklees will be using motorbikes and motorbike maintenance to work with young people at risk of anti-social behaviour

• Unmasked Mental Health are launching a weekly mental health hub in Calderdale to support people who are homeless or vulnerable.

West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable John Robins said he welcomed seeing the proceeds of crime being put to good use.

"I am pleased that the successful disruption of criminal behaviour by our officers means the ill-gotten gains can now be reinvested into such community projects. "