Everton in the Community have been awarded funding to help deliver a community project to assist in raising awareness of the dangers of loan sharks.
The funding - made up of cash confiscated from convicted loan sharks - will enable the Club’s official charity to offer further support to local families living across Liverpool 4 and those who have been struggling financially as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) – a national group that investigates and prosecutes loan sharks – reopened their national proceeds of crime funding scheme back in May, and local charities, schools and organisations were given the opportunity to bid for up to £5,000 of funding for projects meeting the IMLT’s criteria.
Everton in the Community’s Neighbourhood programme was successful in its application and will now work to deliver a virtual project in local primary and secondary schools around Liverpool 4 to educate young people on illegal money lending and the impact that it can have on their household, adding another bespoke layer of support to its Blue Family initiative.
Staff from the charity’s Neighbourhood team will utilise training from IMLT to help provide financial and budgeting support to local residents living within a one-mile radius of Goodison Park, an area also referred to as the ‘Blue Mile’.
The ’Blue Mile’ encompasses the wards of Kirkdale, County, Walton and Anfield, which all fall into the top five percent of most deprived neighbourhoods nationally. More than half of the children in the area live in poverty, while the area in general faces challenges such as high unemployment, as well as crime, health, housing and education problems.
The funding received from IMLT will enable Everton in the Community to tackle crime, support family financial stability and educate youths and their families living within the Blue Mile, providing them with essential tools and knowledge.
Everton in the Community Neighbourhood Manager Sarah Atherton said: “A project around illegal money lending and financial support is vital to our Blue Mile residents now more than ever before. Our community is the fourth most deprived within the UK, with one third of residents facing third generation unemployment.
“We have noticed an increase in money lending due to benefit changes and/or employment circumstances as a direct result of COVID-19 and this funding will enable us to work with young people to create a visible campaign and education project to help them educate their family members to create financial security and links to financial support.”
The funding will also see Everton in the Community staff work collaboratively alongside Foundation 92, the charitable arm of Salford City Football Club, as the two organisations join forces to offer an engaging and interactive learning experience for people at risk of illegal money lending, enabling participants to lead financially sustainable lives. Specialist mentors from both Everton in the Community and Foundation 92 will provide monthly workshops to help the people of Liverpool 4 and Salford develop new skills, create new support networks and gain routes into permanent employment.
Tony Quigley, Head of Service for the England Illegal Money Lending Team added, “We are delighted to have teamed up with Everton in the Community and Foundation 92 to help prevent the most vulnerable from being bitten by loan sharks.
“Loan sharks prey on our communities and in these hard financial times a lot of people feel they have no option except to fall into their grasp. We are working to use as many channels as we can to make sure people know that help and support is available and football is such a great way to get a message out there that loan sharks should be avoided.”
To report a loan shark:
Call the 24/7 confidential hotline 0300 555 2222
Email: reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk
Complete an online form at www.stoploansharks.co.uk
Live Chat is available on the website 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
