Restorative Support in Old Portsmouth

May 2, 2023 / Comments (0)

Uncategorized

Over the last few months a fledgling group of residents, business people and other stakeholders have been meeting with Portsmouth City Council’s Community Safety Strategy and Partnership team and representatives from Portsmouth Mediation Service (PMS), in order to take a forensic and joined-up analysis of the problems impacting on local communities.

Initial workshops and seminars have culminated in a Restorative Support Group that now meets fortnightly and is progressively establishing a platform for ideas and innovative activities. The team at the BAR Technologies building are eager for their facility to become a valuable resource for the local community – indeed this is considered an important part of a strategy that aims to mitigate some of the disruptive and nuisance behaviours that residents are often subjected to in the summer months.

Restorative Support is all about the community coming together to take a part in finding solutions to ensure that everyone can safely enjoy this very popular, historic waterfront neighbourhood of Portsmouth. Over many years residents have learned that endless, and often fruitless, calls to 101 when youngsters are potentially putting themselves in danger near water, are less of a deterrent and more of a challenge!

From these regular meetings, several initiatives at the BAR Building are taking root—from free gym sessions for residents offered by Pompey in the Community to diversionary activities involving local video game café Game Over and Army events on the BAR building apron. Other local youth organisations, such as Urbond and Unloc, have also committed to host events and pop-up activities. More details to follow, as and when resources are made available.

There is even talk of a Charity Tug of War across the Camber, an Old Portsmouth historic tradition that goes back decades. The Fishermen’s Mission will be providing health check-ups for local fisherman, supporting the local fleet and their continued business offloading fish at the Camber.

As ever, it’s important that any incidents are reported and logged so that the community can establish whether these initiatives are having any impact. BAR Technologies is keeping a log of issues they experience, and the local community are urged to do likewise. Residents can contact  Steve Rolls, PMS to find out more steve@portsmouthmediationservice.org.uk or keep your eyes peeled here for regular updates.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *