Hundreds reached at wellbeing day as personal safety campaign expands to include new anti-spiking measures
Brackmills BID expand personal safety initiative with new anti-spiking tools aimed at protecting women and girls.
People working on Northampton’s Brackmills Industrial Estate are feeling safer thanks to an expanding personal safety initiative, which now includes new anti-spiking tools aimed at protecting women and girls. Around 600 employees attended the Wickes Wellbeing Day in May at their distribution centre on Salthouse Road.
Brackmills’ dedicated Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Paul Hurst and colleagues were invited along to share expert advice and distribute a wide range of free anti-spiking and personal safety tools – all fully funded by Brackmills Business Improvement District (BID). Paul Hurst, PCSO for Brackmills, said:
Thanks to the incredible support from the BID, I really feel we are making a difference. These free safety tools empower individuals to take proactive steps to stay safe. The response at the Wickes event was overwhelmingly positive – we had parents collecting items for their adult children and several people shared personal experiences of drink spiking. That really hit home and reminded me why this work matters so much. We’re not just handing out tools – we’re creating a culture of safety and awareness across Brackmills.
Over the course of the event, Paul and his team distributed 100 reusable drink protectors, 500 reusable bottle protectors, and 100 drink safety test strips – all designed to help individuals detect or prevent drink spiking. In addition, they handed out 100 Defender Slimline personal alarms and 50 sets of bike lights to support safer journeys to and from work. Many attendees had never seen or heard of these tools before and Paul reported that they were surprised by how simple yet effective they are.
The event also created a safe, open environment, with two victims of drink spiking approaching Paul and his team to share their experiences. Two others shared that members of their families had been spiked in the past. These personal testimonies highlighted just how widespread the issue is and underlined the need for continued awareness-raising. Sara Homer, CEO of Brackmills BID, said:
We are proud to fund these vital safety tools and to continue working alongside Paul and Northamptonshire Police to make Brackmills a place where women, girls – and indeed everyone – can feel safe. Safety is at the heart of our vision, and this campaign reflects our commitment to proactive, meaningful crime prevention.
This anti-spiking initiative is the latest part of a wider security campaign by Brackmills BID. In recent months, the BID has also funded targeted police patrols and state-of-the-art mobile and static ANPR CCTV cameras linked to police, all helping to deter and detect crime across the estate. Sarah Steers, Stay Safe Business Partner at Wickes, added:
Having Paul and the team involved added real value to our Wellbeing Day. Their presence gave colleagues the opportunity to learn about safety, collect useful tools and feel heard. We’re proud to partner with the BID and local police to promote wellbeing and protection.
