Commissioner Joined Carlisle Mencap Hate Crime Film Launch
Cumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner Peter McCall joined Carlisle Mencap, representatives from the Home Office and others, at Tullie House in Carlisle on 20th March, for the launch of a film about hate crime, ‘Take Control’, funded by the Home Office.
Among the speakers were Kate Yeung, Head of Hate Crime at the Home Office, who spoke about hate crime at a national level, with Cumbria Constabulary’s Detective Inspector Matthew Scott, giving an overview of the picture in Cumbria. Aftab Khan from AWAZ, spoke about how the Black and Minority Ethnic communities respond to hate crime in Cumbria.
The film, produced by ‘Independence Studio’, an animation and art studio run by Carlisle Mencap, is designed to empower disabled people to come forward and report it if they have been a victim of, or witnessed, incidents of hate crime. The company also recently produced another DVD on ‘Mate Crime’, funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner.
Speaking about the event Peter McCall said: “Carlisle Mencap are doing some great work around hate crime, and I have been impressed by the dedication of all involved in the film production. The film sends a strong message, and one that I hope will empower those who have been a victim or witness of hate crime, to come forward.”
Sheila Gregory said: “Carlisle Mencap is delighted to be hosting this important event. It is vital that organisations like the Home Office and the Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioners Office are leading the fight against hate crime. We are so pleased to see them at the conference today.
“This is the 50th anniversary of Carlisle Mencap. People with learning disability have come a long way in 50 years and are now accepted by and more willing to go into society. However the fear of Hate Crime often stops them accessing the community and can blight their lives and threaten their independence. We at Carlisle Mencap are working to give people the confidence and the knowledge to overcome those fears.”
Ends
