Improved security for historic Burnley youth club

With a history going back 122 years, the local community in Burnley has long looked to this club to help its young girls and boys towards a positive future.

Although the area around the club in Barden Lane is faced with many challenges, the facilities have remained a lifeline, offering a safe haven to local young people aged 5-25.

When the club is not in lockdown, many of the members arrive by bike. While there is a bike rack, the club’s organisers were aware that cycles were still being left unlocked.

The area around the site also saw an upturn in violent crime. To help them solve the problem, the team applied to the Secure Communities Scheme for a three-tiered award covering bikes, personal safety of volunteers and to increase perimeter security.

The awards panels agreed to provide bicycle locks that could be lent to cyclists while they were at the club and a perimeter security kit of padlocks. In addition, six personal attack alarms were provided for volunteers responsible for closing the club up, to help increase their security.

Centre manager Graham Vernon said: “Many of our young members come with an array of vulnerabilities, challenges and needs, the security products awarded to us through the Secure Communities Scheme will help us to remain a safe haven for them while we continue to support them and other members of the community.”

Mark Pearson from Burg-Wächter, the company behind the Secure Communities Scheme, said: “Since lockdown commenced, we have provided over 60 security kits worth an average of £150 each to communities across the UK, with many more applications currently being processed. We hope the scheme’s support for the Burnley Boys and Girls Club will help members and users of the site feel safer and more secure.”