Tower Hamlets council receiving their team of the year award prize at the LGC awards ceremony. Picture: LBTH

Tower Hamlets Council has been recognised at the Local Government Chronicle’s Awards ceremony for their work on preventing hate and violence towards women and girls in the borough.

The council’s domestic abuse and hate crime team were awarded  ‘Team Of The Year’ prize for their efforts on the ‘violence against women and girls’  project. The awards at Grosvenor House were attended by more than 1,000 senior figures in British local government were in attendance.

The domestic abuse and hate crime team won the award for focusing on supporting and the protection of victims, raising awareness and challenging discrimination regarding the issues; as well as making sure legal action was taken against perpetrators.

Their work includes The Sanctuary Project, which provides tailored home security and safety for victims of domestic abuse. Between 2017 and 2018, sixty families in the borough were protected through this project.

They also launched the No Place for Hate campaign, which has gained national recognition for tackling hatred, intolerance and prejudice. Further work includes ‘one stop shop’ sessions to help victims share their stories and an innovative female genital mutilation prevention project.

John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “This vital work makes a tangible difference to the survivors of violence against women and girls, hate crime and domestic abuse, and I’m pleased to see the team recognised at a national level. Protecting women and girls who experience gender-based violence, stamping out intolerance and rejecting divisive groups that spread hate is as important as ever.”

The substance misuse team from Tower Hamlets council won the same award in 2018 meaning that this is the second year running in which a team from the council’s community safety area has been recognised nationally for their work.

Councillor Asma Begum, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Equality, said: “It’s great to see this wonderful team once again win the team of the year award. They work tirelessly to tackle all types of violence, abuse and hate. Their work is vitally important in tackling these issues and making sure Tower Hamlets is No Place for Hate.”

The work of Tower Hamlets Council was further recognised at the LGC awards in three other areas including business transformation for helping vulnerable people into suitable accommodation, their work in tackling drug use, and the council’s Love Your Neighbourhood campaign which was shortlisted for an environmental services award.