Reducing Anti-Social Behaviour Through Summer Sports

Dear Resident,

Following another successful summer of sports activities across West Oxfordshire, Thames Valley Police would like to thank the Oxfordshire Lord Lieutenancy for their continued support in funding these initiatives.

For the third consecutive year, the Lieutenancy has supported activities across the district in Chipping Norton, Witney, and Carterton. These sessions aim to provide constructive opportunities for 11–16-year-olds during the summer months, helping to divert them from anti-social behaviour and criminality.

This summer, funding was provided to support the branch at Chipping Norton, the Station in Witney (with additional support from Witney Town Council), and Precision Football Academy in Carterton. These sessions offered young people the chance to engage in sports and arts and crafts, while also providing nutritious meals to individuals from low-income households.

Support was also made possible thanks to contributions from Oxfordshire County Councillors through their Priority Fund allocations.

Over the course of the summer, more than 150 children across the district attended the sessions, with many having the opportunity to meet Ron Spurs, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant for Oxfordshire. The Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Marjorie Glasgow BEM, has also expressed her ongoing support for initiatives that positively impact young people in the county.

Inspector Chris Ball commented: “This has been a great scheme that has really helped give us a place for youngsters to gather and be involved in something constructive. The impact it has had in reducing the number of young people on the streets has been noticeable. It’s a fantastic initiative, and I hope we can repeat it next year.”

Kind regards,