STAFF at the intu Braehead shopping centre have just completed training for the Keep Safe initiative.
The project, run by the I Am Me community group and Police Scotland, aims to raise awareness of disability hate crimes and to create a network of safe places in the community for anyone who feels vulnerable.
Keep Safe cards detailing information on health concerns, communication needs and who to contact in an emergency are available for people who are elderly, vulnerable or disabled.
And Keep Safe stickers will be displayed throughout intu Braehead and staff will wear Keep Safe badges after their training in how best to help vulnerable people.
Councillor Mark Macmillan, leader of Renfrewshire Council, said: “Everyone should feel safe out and about in their community. The sad fact that so many people suffer from disability hate crime, and that so much of it goes unreported, tells us that more needs to be done.
“We work closely with Police Scotland to bring Keep Safe training to all our council staff, so that they recognise when someone is being victimised and can take action.
“We are proud to display the Keep Safe logo on many of our premises now and it’s great to see such a prominent local presence as intu Braehead now showing its support too.”
Chief Inspector Simon Wright, from Police Scotland, said: “I am delighted that intu Braehead has agreed to take part in the Keep Safe initiative.
“This is a fantastic initiative aimed at providing support for vulnerable persons to give them the confidence to go to places that they otherwise may not go to.
“Intu Braehead has completed extensive staff training in relation to Disability Hate Crime, ensuring staff members are able to assist all members of the community, providing a refuge, or other such help that a person may require.
“Police Scotland will continue to work closely with I Am Me and intu Braehead to make the Keep Safe initiative a success and I would encourage other retailers and businesses to consider how they too can support this extremely worthwhile initiative.”
General manager for intu Braehead, Gary Turnbull, said: “We pride ourselves in giving visitors to Braehead a comfortable, safe, pleasant and enjoyable experience.
“This extends to everyone who walks through our doors and we were very keen to be part of the Keep Safe initiative so that everyone coming to intu Braehead feels safe.”
ENDS
MEDIA RELEASE issued by Macdonald Media. You too can post your story ideas for journalists (aka press or media releases), on allmediascotland.com. Email here for more information.
Check out twitter.com/nonstopstories for your very own media releases feed…
Check out too twitter.com/allGlasgowPR.
To catch up on all the media releases recently posted on to allmediascotland.com, you need only click the link icon that you see towards the bottom right of our two media release ‘gateway boxes’.
It’s this icon, here. It’s your route straight into the rich archive.
—
Macdonald Media contact details…
Contact: Norman Macdonald
Phone: 07958648814
Email: norman@macdonald-media.co.uk
Website: http://www.macdonald-media.co.uk
