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<p><span id="ctlContentModules"></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: navy;">I am really happy to run the Hastings Half Marathon on the 20th March for ROC. I personally believe in what they do, making our communities a better place by their own actions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: navy;">As part of my Community Engagement remit I am assiting to set up a Redeeming our Communities (ROC) partnership with ROC and Sussex Police. There will be an initiative in Bognor Regis and Worthing with a possibility for it to be rolled out throughout Sussex. The more I know about ROC, the more I have started to become involved with them. It is easy to admire them and to share their values. Their true grit and determination has earned them my utter respect and admiration</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: navy;">The thing I most appreciate about ROC is that they are people who don't just talk, they do! ROC is a National Christian-led charity that brings together churches in their local area with the common goal to improve their community. Members from all congregations and from all walks of life give their expertise, their talents, their ideas and their time for no other reason than the genuine desire to make the location in which they live a better place to be.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: navy;">ROC initiatives range from addressing homelessness, drug taking, alcohol abuse to opening youth café's.The first ROC Café in South Yourkshire opened in 2007 and after 3 months the area reported a 35% drop in crime. ROC has a genuine motivation to change our society.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: navy;">Where ROC have been operating in other areas there has been a 11% drop in crime. While this is pleasing in itself, what is really important is that 11% means hundreds of people helped and their lives improved and often transformed. Preventing a persistent prolific offender from continuing his/her crimes often means that literary hundreds of people can live their lives free from the fear of crime. It’s a ripple effect of positive actions. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; color: navy;">ROC do what they do regardless of the current politics. As a society we have become used to expecting some kind of government agency to solve our problems. The evidence is that this is not possible. If we do nothing, we will in time feel the effects ourselves. The Police and the other statutory agencies are part of the answer, but ROC is an important partner to take up the slack where the Polices remit ends.</span></p>
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