Hastings has been re-accredited as a Safe Community by the Safe Community Foundation of New Zealand, six years on from first being designated an International Safe Community in 2013.

While the reaccreditation does not mean that Hastings district will always be safe from injury and violence, it does mean that there is a robust coalition of key government and community stakeholders working across a range of sectors who are committed to reducing harm and improving community safety.

Over the last six years much work has gone into creating and sustaining supportive and connected communities, safe homes, safe roads, safe public spaces and reducing the effects of addiction-related harm in Hastings.

Keeping the community safe is best achieved when people come together from different sectors to have input, and that’s what’s making Safer Hastings a success.

When the council first signed the Safe Community Agreement in 2013 it had seven coalition partners – today that number has grown to 26 coalition partners.

Strategic partners include ACC, Directions Youth Health Centre, Fire & Emergency NZ, HBDHB, HBEMG, HDC, Health HB, Housing NZ, MSD, NZ Police, NZ Red Cross, Plunket, RoadSafe HB, Sport Hawke's Bay, Te Rangihaeata Oranga Trust, Te Puni Kokiri, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, Volunteering HB and Wharariki Trust.

Last month the Safe Communities Foundation NZ reaccreditation review team visited Hastings and were taken on a tour of the district to see first-hand the work the agencies were doing to achieve the goals of a Safer Community.

These include anything from installing free smoke alarms in homes to setting up Neighbourhood Support groups, exercise classes for seniors to help with fall prevention, gambling recovery services, and road safety promotion.

Safer Hastings chair Eileen Lawson says the re-accreditation process was an opportunity to celebrate the work of the coalition partners in the community.

“Working towards a Safer Hastings is achieved through collaboration and shared common goals. A lot has been achieved, but there is much work to do and I am confident that with the increase in partner agencies we will be able to have an even bigger impact on creating a safer community.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media