Proceeds of Crime funding for good causes grows in Devon ​

Devon & Cornwall Police has dished out plenty of important funding towards good causes in the community since last year.

The funds have been collected as part of the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) which allows police forces to re-allocate money from cash and assets which have been seized and confiscated from convicted criminals. 

Around £20,000 has been allocated to local groups in North, East and West Devon, as well as Exeter, during the financial year 2023/24.  

The money has been used for various items such as gardening equipment, buying kit for sports teams or providing training resources for the community or materials for wellbeing workshops. The Veterans Charity in Barnstaple are using their share towards a new training facility for ex-services personnel. 

Superintendent Tom Holmes chairs the POCA panel for North, East and West Devon, and helps decide which community group should have their funding bids approved.

He explained: “The Proceeds of Crime Act allows police to hand over funds which have been seized during crime investigations and make excellent use of them in their communities. This is a great opportunity for us to support local good causes and help make a difference. We hope to be able to help more people across Devon this year and show that good things can come from bad.”    

Here is a list of the recipients and what they used the funds for since August 2023:

• Bideford Rugby Club – funding for under nine’s team to buy sports kit to wear

• The Tri-Hards sports group Exmouth – to keep the community fit and active and increase wellbeing as well as provide open water training to keep sea swimmers safe.   

• Cullompton Rangers – to pay for kit and end of season trophies for football teams  

• Marypole and Mincinglake Allotment Association Exeter – to buy a new noticeboard to display crime prevention advice and other important community information.  

• Barnstaple in Bloom – purchase of a weed removal machine  

• Immersion in the Community – games and Virtual Reality equipment to divert people from carrying out anti-social behaviour in Okehampton

• The Veterans Charity Barnstaple – training equipment for new hub

• Exmouth United Girls Football Team – training kit

• Calf Street Park Action Group – youth shelter for Great Torrington

• Belle’s Place Ilfracombe (community centre) – drop-in days and art workshops  

• South Molton & District Volunteer Bureau – bike marking kits to help cyclists

• Skate Molton – equipment and upgrade for the South Molton skate park  

• Thorverton Parish Council – equipment and upgrade for recreation ground

• Lagoon View Community Orchard (West Yelland) – equipment and fuel   

• Torrington & District Community Development Trust – design and printing of educational items   

• Families in Grief (Bideford) - production of teaching resources

Those people interested in finding out more about POCA funds and how to apply for them can email their local Neighbourhood Police Team by visiting the Force website www.devon-cornwall.police.uk or speak to a local officer. To speak to someone face to face at a Public Enquiry Office between 10am-3pm Monday to Saturday you can visit police stations at Honiton, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Tiverton and Exeter.  

If you wish to receive incident updates, appeals and crime prevention advice please sign up to the Devon and Cornwall Alert system. This allows subscribers to read the latest info via text message and/or email and tailor the content to their needs or location. Please visit Home Page - Devon and Cornwall Alert  

To report crime anonymously please call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org