Community Cohesion

Community Cohesion in Trafford

Trafford has a diverse community, with many faiths and cultures across our borough. We have strong community relations, and Trafford is the safest borough in Greater Manchester. However, we have to recognise that more could be done to improve social inclusion of isolated and vulnerable residents, reduce hate crime and prevent radicalisation, and ensure faiths and cultures live together positively and without fear.

Trafford Community Cohesion Forum

The Trafford Community Cohesion Forum includes representatives from a range of local Voluntary and Community Organisations, Greater Manchester Police and Trafford Council.

The purpose of the Community Cohesion Forum is to:

1.  Provide strong leadership, vision and strategic advice for integration and cohesion;
2.  Work collaboratively with public, voluntary, faith and community groups to celebrate and promote integration and cohesion;
3. To facilitate constructive engagement with visible and ‘hidden’ community groups;
4.  To welcome newer communities, encourage participation in civic life and increase interaction between different community groups;
5.  To help support diversity-related events such as International Women’s Day, LGBTQ+ History Month, Black History Month, etc.;
6.  To promote Trafford as an inclusive, diversity-friendly borough, and encourage active participation in civic life by all local people;
7.  To discuss matters concerning ‘Prevent’ and how best to lessen the chance of terrorism or extremist activity in Trafford;
8.  To discuss matters of concern, such as hate crime and community tensions.

Tackling Hate Crime

The Council has been working to tackle hate crime in Trafford together with key partner organisations, service users and community representatives for the last few years. A Hate Crime Strategy has been developed with the Safer Trafford Partnership which aim to put in a place a powerful and effective framework to help Partnership members to combat hate crime in our community. While we are proud that Trafford remains the safest borough in Greater Manchester, nationally hate crime figures are on the rise. Everyone has the right to feel safe and we all have a responsibility to stand together against hatred and discrimination. It is important for Trafford, as a community, to do its utmost to tackle hate crime.

Hate Crime Awareness Grants 2020

Greater Manchester’s Hate Crime Awareness Week 3^rd - 9^th February 2020 is now in its eighth year and continues to go from strength to strength. In Trafford we celebrate our strong, diverse communities, recognising the many faiths and cultures across our borough, and we are proud that Trafford remains the safest borough in Greater Manchester.

Nationally there has been a rise in hate crime, defined as an act that is committed against any person or group that is motivated by hostility and prejudice based upon disability, race, ethnic origin or nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender orientation or alternative subculture. Offences include such things as name calling, verbal abuse, bullying, harassment, spitting, physical attacks, damage to property, graffiti, written notes, emails and text messages.

The Safer Trafford Partnership, a multi-agency group that includes, Trafford Council, Greater Manchester Police, The Fire Service and local Housing Associations organised a programme of activities, stalls and workshops throughout the week.

These included the launch of a Refugees Support Network whereby organisations came together to discuss what vital and practical support organisations can offer refugees and asylum seekers in Trafford.

Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority made £10,000 available to fund events and projects to tackle hate crime.

Cllr Mike Freeman, Trafford Council Executive member for Public Safety, Governance and Reform, said:

“Hate Crime Awareness Week comes at an opportune time; the UK having last week left the EU. It is essential as a Trafford community that we stand together against hatred and discrimination and raise awareness of the damage this behaviour does to community cohesion. I hope the week is a success and the projects that we have funded increase awareness about the reporting of hate crime as well as providing our communities understanding of what constitutes hate crime and the impact it has on our neighbourhoods.”

The successful events and projects were:

Community Cohesion Grants 2020

In 2020, following an open application process, Trafford Council and the Safer Trafford Partnership funded 13 projects that will strengthen the borough’s strong communities.

The awarding panel included, Councillor Brian Shaw, Shadow Executive Member for Communities and Partnerships, alongside representatives from Trafford Council, Greater Manchester Police and the Community Cohesion Forum, chose a range of projects from across the borough. The panel focused on projects that brought different faiths and communities together, targeted engagement around issues of hate crime, knife crime, social isolation and loneliness, built pride and strengthened communities by residents working together, and youth engagement that promotes community cohesion.

Cllr Brian Shaw said: “Trafford has a diverse community, with many faiths and cultures across the borough. Whilst Trafford remains the safest borough in Greater Manchester, we recognise that more could be done to tackle hate crime, social isolation and knife crime, and ensure faiths and cultures live together positively and without fear.

We are excited to be funding these exciting projects and will be closely working with them to ensure they are able to achieve their ambitions for the benefit of Trafford residents.”

The successful projects were: