Hart District Council are delighted to announce that, alongside Hampshire Constabulary and Basingstoke and Deane Council, 100 tabards will be supplied to welfare officers working in bars and nightclubs across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
Welfare officers are staff members at venues dedicated to helping customers and ensuring everyone stays safe during a night out. They have received training to recognise the signs of drunkenness, drug abuse, and whether a customer is under age or vulnerable. The officers are also alert to any predatory behaviour or any activity that may lead to crime and disorder.
Earlier this year, officers from Hampshire Constabulary set up a project to improve the visibility of welfare officers in venues across both counties.
Funded by Hart District Council and Basingstoke and Deane Council, Welfare officers will now be easily identifiable within venues thanks to 100 new pink tabards that have ‘welfare’ written across the front and back.
Rob Cohen, Force Licensing Alcohol Harm Reduction Sergeant, set up the project and is delighted to be able to roll out the tabards. He said: “It is great to see that licensees across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are employing welfare officers to support their customers and reduce vulnerability in our towns and cities. The response from the trade has been very positive. This is an opportunity for venues to highlight the welfare provisions they have in place and encourage others to do the same.
The improved visibility of welfare support staff in our venues will encourage members of the public to seek help for themselves or others"
He added: “I would like to express my thanks to both Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and Hart District Council for their support and funding to make this happen. Recognising that customers move between venues, or visit different ones, so having a consistent approach to welfare visibility, can only be a real benefit.
Hart District Council's Joint Chief Executive Patricia Hughes said: “Keeping our residents safe is a priority for both Hart District Council and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.
“We are pleased to work with our partners to provide these tabards for the welfare officers. The night-time economy has been hit hard by the pandemic and the welfare officers will make people enjoying a night out feel safer and more secure.”