Community comes together to tackle ASB at 'Marian Square Matters' event
20.10.26 - Sefton
Merseyside Police and the Deputy Police Commissioner were proud to support a community-led initiative last night (Monday 19 October) as local groups gathered at L30 Community Centre for the ‘Marian Square Matters’ Big Bid event.
Compered by the Deputy PCC Jeanie Bell and organised by Sergeant Lou Watson from Sefton’s Proactive Team, the event brought together 9 community groups who had submitted funding bids of up to £4,000 to support projects that would benefit Marian Square and surrounding area, using money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
The evening, provided an opportunity for groups to present their proposals, build connections, and strengthen community ties. The finalists each pitched their ideas and outlined their plans to tackle anti-social behaviour, delivered in a two-minute presentation. Following the presentations, a panel voted to decide how the funding should be distributed.
The highest scoring group was the L30 Community Centre, who were awarded £4,000 to offer a Youth-Led Participatory Budgeting Fund to give young people in the Marian Square area direct influence over how funding is invested in their community. The initiative will empower participants to shape local services while developing valuable skills such as leadership, communication, teamwork and budgeting. It will also strengthen relationships between young people, the police and the wider community.
Second place went to Feel Good Factory, a community-based initiative supporting disadvantaged and neurodivergent young people aged 11 and above. They were awarded £4,000. The hub aims to reduce anti-social behaviour, improve confidence and wellbeing, increase engagement with education and community life, and strengthen connections between young people, their families and local services.
In third place was Select Training, who will deliver an eight-week youth engagement programme for 15 young people aged 12 to 16 from the Netherton area. Based at Netherton Activity Centre, the project combines structured football coaching with practical catastrophic bleed, mental health and community safety training. They were awarded £4,000.
Fourth place went to Aintree Initiatives for Performing Arts who will deliver Marian Square Social Circles, a six-month youth engagement and early intervention initiative for 36 young people aged 12 to 25 who live in or regularly use the Marian Square area. The programme seeks to address factors associated with anti-social behaviour and crime by strengthening positive relationships, promoting community safety and encouraging participants to play an active role in their local area. They were awarded £4,000.
In fifth place was Comm-Unity Youth. This project will provide a range of activities, workshops and community initiatives designed to engage young people, encourage positive behaviour and help prevent involvement in crime and anti-social behaviour. Participants will have access to workshops covering issues such as knife crime, conflict management, drugs and alcohol, gangs, county lines, mental health and personal safety. They were awarded £4,000.
No-one went home empty handed and the remaining funds were shared between L21 Community Judo Club, Activate Body & Mind CIC, Sefton Amateur Boxing Club and Playing It Forward CIC.
Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jeanie Bell said: “It was a real privilege to join residents, community groups and partners at the Marian Square Matters Big Bid event and see first-hand the passion, creativity and commitment that exists within this community.
“The quality of the bids was outstanding, with every organisation putting forward ideas designed to create opportunities for young people, strengthen community connections and tackle the issues that matter most to people living in this area.
“What makes this funding so powerful is that it has been taken out of the hands of criminals and is now being reinvested into projects that will make a positive difference in people's lives. By supporting grassroots organisations that know their communities best, we're helping to create safer, stronger neighbourhoods and brighter futures for local people.
“I'd like to congratulate all our amazing winners and thank everyone who took part, from the community groups who developed and presented their proposals to the residents and partners who helped make the event such a success. I look forward to seeing the impact these projects have across Marian Square in the months ahead.”
Sergeant Lou Watson said, “It was a fantastic evening celebrating the incredible work of our local community groups. Each project brought something different, and it was inspiring to see so many people committed to making Marian Square a safer, stronger community. We’re proud to support initiatives like this that empower residents and provide real, lasting solutions to local issues.”
Merseyside Police would like to thank all the groups who took part and congratulate the winners. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will have across the Marian Square area.
Winning Bids
The winning bids were:
- L30 Community Centre
- Feelgood Factory
- Select Training
- Aintree Initiatives for Performing Arts
- Comm-Unity Youth