St Mark’s Church has signed up to the Safe Place scheme which is being rolled out across Whitehill and Bordon under East Hampshire District Council’s Healthy New Town programme to make sure people have somewhere they can feel safe if they start to panic.
The addition of St Mark’s Church means there are now seven safe places in the town offering refuge to anyone who feels intimidated or at risk while they are out and about.
The Rev Deborah Scott-Bromley, who is Church of England minister for St Mark’s, said: “St Mark’s is very pleased to be a part of the Safe Place scheme in the local community. We are happy to offer reassurance to anyone feeling vulnerable or unsafe when they are near the church and will do our best to help.”
The scheme provides a place, with trained staff, for people to seek help or simply to just calm down and have some alone-time.
Easily recognisable by their bright yellow and red Safe Place sticker, the Whitehill and Bordon Safe Places are:
* Tesco
* Quebec Café
* Forest Surgery
* Badgerswood Surgery
* Forest Community Centre
* The Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre
* St Mark’s Church
Portfolio Holder for Whitehill and Bordon Cllr Ferris Cowper said: “The Safe Place scheme has gone down extremely well with the residents of the town.
“We have had such positive publicity around the scheme that we have now had an additional venue sign up, thank you very much to St Mark’s Church – it’s great to have you on board!
“We now have seven safe places across Whitehill and Bordon which is fantastic, the scheme is really important as it means everyone can feel safe when they are out and about in the town.”
Any other organisation which can offer a Safe Place, should contact Rebecca Treharne, the district council’s Healthy New Towns Project Officer by e-mail at: Rebecca.treharne@east hants.gov.uk
Find out about planning applications that affect you by visiting the Public Notice Portal.
Whitehill and Bordon one of ten housing developments across England chosen by the NHS as demonstrators of to shape the health of communities, and to rethink how health and care services can be delivered by uniting public health, planners and housing providers to plan and build healthier places.