WARRINGTON’s pioneering Survivors for Peace programme based at the Peace Centre has received a further funding boost from the government.
As a result victims of terrorism will continue to have greater access to expert help thanks to the new Government funding for the Warrington-based charity.
Victims’ Minister Mike Penning will announce the funding boost today (Tuesday) during a visit to see first hand how the money will be spent.
The Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace, set up following the Bridge Street bombing in March 1993, which claimed the lives of the two young boys (pictured right) , will receive £150,000 from the Ministry of Justice to help provide tailored, long-term support for victims and survivors of terrorist incidents.
Mr Penning is visiting the centre to find out more about the crucial work the charity does to help young people turn away from violence, support local communities and help families and individuals to overcome wherever possible the effects of violent conflict.
He said: “Organisations like Foundation for Peace do wonderful work in supporting those who’ve been through terrible trauma and I’ve been privileged and humbled today to hear directly from some of those who have sought and benefited from support.
“This MoJ grant will ensure this vital help continues, and only reinforces our message that victims should be at the forefront of criminal justice reform. That is why, under this Government, funding for specialist support services has more than doubled to over £92 million. This will give victims access to the best possible support, wherever they live, and help ensure they are not alone in coming to terms with the impact of crime.”
Foundation for Peace works nationally to support those affected by terrorism and conflict, and was established by the parents of 12-year-old Tim Parry and three-year-old Johnathan Ball who lost their lives in an IRA bombing in 1993 in Warrington.
Money from the MoJ will fund the organisation’s Survivors Assistance Network (SAN) to help restore victims’ feeling of personal safety and well-being and, as far as possible, enable them to return to the lives they had before the incident. This includes a social network for members to connect with one another and prevent victims feeling isolated, conflict resolution and “peace building” sessions to help prevent further conflict, and remembrance events.
Foundation for Peace chief executive Nick Taylor said: “Survivors for Peace is a unique project assisting over 500 victims, survivors and those affected by terrorism and war. The project specifically addresses the legacy of violent conflict, assisting people affected by any past or contemporary global incident.
“The announcement by Mike Penning will provide great comfort and support to the people we work with who have had their lives impacted by terrorism and extremist violence.”
This funding compliments a wider package of reforms to smooth the path to justice for victims of crime, including doubling the amount available under this Government for a wide range of support services to more than £92million next year (2015/16).
In September last year, the Government also launched ‘Our Commitment to Victims’ which set out how we will strengthen the rights of victims by enshrining them in a new Victims’ Law, and bring together information and support for people affected by crime into one place with a new nationwide Victims’ Information Service, rather than expecting people to find information scattered across several websites.
As part of this package, sexual violence and rape victims will be spared the trauma of aggressive cross examination thanks to new training for advocates to be rolled out later this year.
TrackMyCrime, a new online service for people to track their case through the investigation stage is also already making it easier for victims to find the latest information about their case.
* A similar grant last year saved the pioneering Survivors for Peace programme from closing down following the intervention of Warrington South MP David Mowat together with cross-party support.
