Gimme Shelter

The first ‘Safe Space’ for young people in Knowsley officially opened in Stockbridge Village Saturday 9th June near the Croft Shopping Centre in Stockbridge Village.

The shelter is designed to provide an area where teenagers can meet with their friends in a safe environment.

Young people from the local area have been actively involved in the design and position of the shelter and painted their own mural on the inside of the ‘Safe Space’ based on the theme of The Simpsons.

The youngsters have also visited youth shelters elsewhere in the north to incorporate some of the best ideas into the Knowsley project.

‘Safe Spaces’' are located far enough away from where people live to prevent annoyance, yet close enough to home and well lit to ensure that the teenagers are safe and well behaved.

Steve Cope from Knowsley Council’s Citizenship and Social Inclusion Unit said, ”This is the first of what we hope will be many Safe Spaces to be installed across the borough. It is a pilot project and one from which everyone involved has already learned a lot.”

‘Safe Space’ is one of many initiatives in Knowsley’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Strategy, which was recently commended by the Home Office for its innovative approach to local issues.