Hate Crime can have a devastating effect on the quality of life of its victims, those who fear becoming victims and the community. Hate Crime victims face the added trauma of knowing that the perpetrator’s motivation may be impersonal group hatred, relating to some feature that they share with others. An incident, which might normally have a minor impact, becomes, with the hate element, a very intimate and hurtful attack that is likely to undermine the victim’s quality of life. This impact is amplified further because Hate Crime is an under-reported category of incident. An offender can often keep the same victim or group of victims locked in isolation and fear, by keeping the extent of each attack at a level where it is unlikely to be reported.

In order to ensure that the victim’s first contact with Warwickshire police is professional and sensitive we are launching a new
Hate Crime Help Line:

0845 129 2221

The staff that answer these calls will be aware that there may be considerations present in terms of language, religion, disability and cultural/lifestyle backgrounds and will do their utmost to meet the diverse needs of each victim.

What is Hate Crime?

Hate crimes and incidents are taken to mean any crime or incident where the perpetrator’s prejudice against an identifiable group of people is a factor in determining who is victimised.

This is a broad and inclusive definition.
A victim does not have to be a member of the group. In fact, anyone could be a victim of a hate crime.

The identifiable groups are:
Any racial group or ethnic background including countries within the
United Kingdom and ‘Gypsy & Traveller groups’.

Any religious group including those who have no faith.

Any person’s sexual orientation including heterosexual.

Any disability including physical and mental health.

People who are transsexual, transgender, transvestite and including those who hold a
Gender Recognition Certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004.

ILLUMINATE ICT
100th WEBSITE

Illuminate ICT have just been commissioned to create their 100th website! And the great news is that the new site is for Mid-Warwickshire Mind, a local charity!
This local branch of Mind wanted an attractive and functional website to
advertise and expand on their services.

For two years now, illuminate ICT have been building a healthy list of clients in the charitable and voluntary sectors. In that time, they have helped 100 Warwickshire organisations to gain the confidence to build and manage their own websites. They also provide computer support and training, as well as low cost computer servers, designed with the voluntary sector in mind. If you'd like illuminate ICT to help you with a new website or with any IT related work, please contact them directly on 0121 288 9876 or by email on pete@illuminateict.org.uk.

CHARITY COMMISSION
RANDOM CHECKS

Random checks will feature in new public benefit regime
The Charity Commission will carry out random checks on charities to ensure they comply with the new public benefit requirements that will take effect from 1 April.
The measure is highlighted in the commission's final public benefit guidance, published today. "It is part of good regulatory practice," Dame Suzi Leather, chair of the Charity Commission, told Third Sector. "It keeps people on their toes."
The guidance says charities must comply with two main principles: they must provide an identifiable benefit or benefits, and the benefit must be to the public or a section of it.
The commission will assess charities on the basis of risk: organisations affected by changes in the law, such as the removal of the presumption of public benefit,
are likely to be the first to be scrutinised.
Existing charities will be required to start reporting on public benefit in their trustees' annual reports at the end of the 2008/09 financial year. New applicants for charitable status already have to meet the commission's new standards.
Appeals by charity trustees against public benefit decisions will be considered by the commission's internal review procedures in the first instance, and will be referred,
if necessary, to the Charity Tribunal, which will start operating in February.
Charity Commission guidance says that charities must justify charitable status by demonstrating public benefit - a challenge for those charging high fees. The new guidelines state that "people in poverty must not be excluded
from the opportunity to benefit".

From Third Sector Daily

FAIRTRADE TOWN

Royal Leamington Spa has been awarded the coveted title of a Fairtrade Town.

The Town Council has signed up to the principles of "Fairtrade".

Together with a Voluntary Group it has worked to achieve the various
objectives set out by the Fairtrade Foundation and is now able to use the
Fairtrade logo to further promote awareness of this important initaitive.

Fairtrade is often defined as providing a better deal
for producers from third world countries; buying Fairtrade means that the farmers and producers in poor countries can get a better return for their hard work This in turn has benefits in terms of improving incomes, preserving the environment, securing
clean drinking water and educating children in
those countries which are reliant on trade with
the developed world.

For further details please visit:
www.leamingtonspatowncouncil.gov.uk
www.fairtrade.org.uk
www.maketradefair.com