Loan sharks' cash put to use in Yorkshire

Groups from across the region can apply for up to £5,000 of Proceeds of Crime Money to help subsidise community projects that assist in raising awareness of loan sharks.

The Illegal Money Lending Team, which investigates and prosecutes loan sharks, is putting forward multiple pots of £5,000 to fund projects which meet its criteria and help raise awareness of the dangers linked to borrowing from loan sharks.

Tony Quigley, head of service for the Illegal Money Lending Team, said: “Illegal money lenders are a scourge on our communities, and can have a huge detrimental impact on the lives of their victims. We’re looking to fund community projects in the Yorkshire and Humberside area, as we are able to use this money to fund something positive and help prevent these criminals from operating in the future. If you think your project meets our criteria, then please come forward and bid.”

People and groups can apply for the cash to spend on a community project which does at least one of the following: contributes to raising the awareness of the dangers of using loan sharks; promotes professional credit options to people at risk of using loan sharks; promotes financial management or budgeting to people at risk of using loan sharks; or reduces crime, disorder and illegal money lending in the local area.

A panel of judges will vote on which groups will be granted funding.

For an application form email [email protected].