Our Blog
Welcome to our blog – your central hub for the latest news, successes, event highlights, and service updates from Bedfordshire’s Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit. Stay up to date on what we’re doing to tackle violence and exploitation in Bedfordshire. Explore our updates and be part of the conversation shaping our community.
Luton mum recognised for efforts to combat knife crime as town welcomes iconic Knife Angel
Former VERU youth Intervention Specialist Worker, Roseann Taylor, has been awarded with the Knife Angel Community Award as the statue arrives in Luton for month long stay.
Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit's (VERU) Just Drop It campaign has inspired the release of new charity single by CLICK Arts foundation.
VERU Youth Voice Fund
The VERU Youth Voice Fund has been created with the aim of increasing engagement with our young people in the VERU and wider partnership.
A&E Navigators scheme sees young people deterred from crime
In a matter of weeks, the scheme has already seen 13 young people receive specialist support from youth workers embedded in …
Just Drop It: Ashish’s Story
The family of a man who was stabbed to death in a Bedford park have shared their story as part of our #JustDropIt Campaign.
Just Drop It campaign praised in Parliament
Bedfordshire’s Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit (VERU) flagship campaign ‘Just Drop It’ has been recognised in the House of Commons as …
Just Drop It reaches 5,000 Bedfordshire students
More than 5,000 students across 15 schools in Bedfordshire have received assemblies around the devastating impact of knife crime as part …
A&E navigators scheme to launch in Bedfordshire hospitals
Specialist youth workers are to be embedded into hospital A&Es across Bedfordshire to offer support to patients involved in or at risk of violence and exploitation
Luton Town back Bedfordshire’s new knife crime campaign
The Premier League side have organised a series of activities to show their support for the Just Drop It campaign
VERU Village launches with more than £200,000 invested in community projects
A major new network of community groups and organisations has been launched to bring a collective effort to tackle the violence and exploitation of young people in Bedfordshire.
VERU launches new knife crime campaign for Bedfordshire
Just Drop It seeks to shine a light on the ripple effect of knife crime through families and communities, aiming to deter young people from carrying or ever using a blade.
YIS team talks knife crime on Luton Urban Radio
Roseann Taylor and Si Philli took part in an hour long podcast with young radio hosts from Att10tive to talk about the work of the VERU, our Just Drop It campaign and issues like knife crime and child criminal exploitation more widely.
Around 160 young people took part in a community football tournament aimed at building better relationships between the police and the …
VERU brings national football tournament to Bedfordshire
A flagship national football tournament which aims to break down barriers between young people and the police is coming to Bedfordshire. …
VERU and PCC join forces for second successful youth conference
Hundreds of teenagers have attended conferences organised by Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Bedfordshire’s Violence and Exploitation Unit (VERU) last week as …
VERU success as more than 100 young people reached through school absenteeism
More than 100 young people have engaged with a pilot project delivered by Bedfordshire’s Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit. The initiative …
VERU showcases its work tackling violence and exploitation
The VERU had the opportunity to showcase the work we’re doing to tackle violence and exploitation amongst young people to the …
Last week saw the Bedfordshire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), host their first-ever three-day conference alongside Bedfordshire’s Violence and …