Leeds supermarket donates £99k to recruit new PCSOs

The announcement follows the launch of the West Yorkshire Plan, which pledged to upskill people into good, well-paid jobs

A Leeds-based supermarket has donated almost £100,000 to train 11 new Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

Asda has provided Apprenticeship Levy funding to support the new PCSOs, who will work for West Yorkshire Police.

The announcement by West Yorkshire mayor Tracy Brabin, follows her pledge in 2022 to recruit 750 new police officers and staff.

Mayor Brabin said she was "thrilled" to bring together businesses and training providers to help young people.

She added "Our support is helping to bolster the region's police force, as we work to build a safer, fairer West Yorkshire for all.

"It was wonderful to meet the apprentices at the start of their exciting new career journeys, and I'm confident they all have bright futures ahead."

As a large employer Asda, which was founded in Leeds in 1949, is required by the Treasury to pay the Apprenticeship Levy - a percentage of its annual pay bill which must be spent on apprenticeships.

'A future for my children'

The chain's chief people and corporate affairs Officer, Hayley Tatum, said: "We have the ability to make a real impact in the communities we serve and we are delighted with how our own apprenticeship scheme is progressing.

"We can't wait to see the positive impacts this investment will have."

Meanwhile, Daisy Speak, one of the new PCSOs, said: "I applied to be a PCSO because I would like to make a difference in the community and support people that need us the most.

"I also want to try my best to make a difference to people's perception of the police. 

"This course has given me a brilliant opportunity to turn my life around and make a future for me and my children."

Sarah Baker, Assistant Chief Constable at West Yorkshire Police, said she was "really looking forward" to welcoming the latest PCSOs, who would make "a valuable contribution to policing as part of the wider West Yorkshire Police family".