Former EastEnders actress Pam St Clement launched a new Barnet-wide safety scheme at North Finchley’s Coffee Republic on 25 April. Called Safe Places, it helps people with learning disabilities when they’re out and about. The event was also attended by the Worshipful the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Brian Schama.
Safe Places is a partnership between Your Choice Barnet, Barnet Mencap and the Metropolitan Police. Businesses such as Coffee Republic show the scheme’s logo in their windows so that those in need can go inside for help.
By seeing a special card with a contact number for the person’s parent, carer or support worker, a member of the ‘business mate’s’ staff will then quickly ring the relevant number to alert them. The cardholder may have got lost, been harassed or be anxious in some other way.
Tracey Lees, chief executive of the Barnet Group (which includes Your Choice Barnet) said: “It’s great that Coffee Republic is joining the Tally Ho pub in North Finchley, the Barnet Café, Helprose chemists and Leverton & Sons – all in Barnet – in becoming some of the first Safe Places business mates in the borough. We hope many more businesses will join up to help make our community a more welcoming and safe place to all our citizens. We’re looking forward to extending this scheme to other vulnerable people in the future.”
Barnet’s borough commander, Chief Superintendent Adrian Usher, said: “We’re delighted to be part of this community initiative, which offers assistance and protection to those who may be in need of support.
This is a highly commendable scheme and a great example of businesses working with, and for, the wider community.”
Shelley Gibbons, Barnet Mencap Community Opportunities Manager, said: “Safe Places is part of a strategy to enable people with learning disabilities to feel more confident using the community. We are very pleased to be involved in developing and promoting it.”
Businesses wishing to support the scheme can contact Safe Places by email at safeplacesbarnet@gmail.com or by phone 07917 465 125.
Safe Places has been set up after receiving backing from Barnet Council’s Supporting Independence Fund (SIF). This was set up by the council’s adult social care department and offered kick-start funding to projects aimed at helping disabled adults and older people to live more independent lives.