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Street Rangers scheme 'makes town feel safer'

BBC Trudie looking into the camera, she's wearing a green hoodie with a black fleece over the top. Behind her you can see rows of fresh fruit and vegetables, and a sign on the wall reads 'crispy salads'.BBC
Trudie Povey said businesses in Oswestry looked out for each other

A Street Rangers scheme has made a Shropshire town feel safer in the year it has been running, businesses say.

The Oswestry project was announced in October 2023 and was paid for by the town's Business Improvement District (BID).

The service sees teams patrolling the town's busiest streets, keeping an eye out for shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

Trudie Povey, the manager of greengrocers Covent Garden Fruit Market, said it had made Oswestry "less of a target" for criminals.

"It makes us less of a target if people know there's police and street rangers around, they're less likely to come here - we're not a soft touch," she added.

"You feel that [Oswestry] is a safe little community and with us all looking out that adds to that sense of security and safety."

The rangers themselves claim they have seen a fall in crime in the town over the past year.

One of them, Augustus, said "just being around is such a deterrent that it's quietened down".

"In the ShopWatch group chat we had 40 messages on the first day - nowadays we have just a couple a week," he said.

"[Shop owners] are just pleased to see us," said fellow ranger Callum, adding that the scheme is a "very positive thing" for Oswestry.

Gus and Callum looking into the camera, stood next to each other on one of Oswestry's shopping streets. They're wearing royal blue vests with radios and body-worn cameras, similar to what police wear. They're stood underneath a dark green awning, and you can see the street stretching away behind them.
Street rangers Augustus and Callum said their efforts have made a big difference to the town

By communicating with shop owners through a group chat, the rangers can tackle problems as they happen.

Oswestry BID told BBC Shropshire the rangers have even been able to detain shoplifters while they wait for police to arrive.

Similar Street Rangers schemes have been introduced around the country.

The officers have been trained in areas including first aid, conflict resolution and to help understand dementia.

Adele looking into the camera, she's wearing a black jumper, a grey scarf, and a black winter coat. She's stood in one of Oswestry's side streets, you can see Christmas lights above her head and a shop window to her left.
Adele Nightingale said the scheme's first year had been a big success

The scheme also received funding from the Home Office in August to help extend the programme.

The funds were part of a scheme brought in by the previous government to tackle anti-social behaviour.

"[We are] very keen to continue this scheme," said Adele Nightingale, the manager of Oswestry BID.

She added she was "really pleased" with the project's first year, with next year's plans including a focus on violence against women and girls.

"We've been talking to PubWatch members about the Ask for Angela scheme, the [rangers] are trained up on that, so there's going to be a real emphasis on that going forward," Ms Nightingale added.

The Home Office said decisions on future funding for the antisocial behaviour hotspot response scheme were yet to be made.

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