Many thanks to those of you who completed our Policing and Stewarding Survey.

We received 546 responses to the survey and the vast majority of respondents were positive about the policing and stewarding at Newcastle games and the Trust has fed back the results to the Club and the Police.

The survey was undertaken following an invitation to the Trust to meet, along with other fan representatives, senior officers from Northumbria Police to establish lines of communication between the force and fans and to gain a greater understanding of ongoing issues that affect fans.

The Police are looking to adopt a ‘community style’ approach to policing Newcastle games and to work with fans to make the match days safer fans. The police also asked for specific feedback from fan representatives and the Trust fed back the data and responses from those completing our survey

Overall, the vast majority of fans were complimentary about the policing of Newcastle games, noting that the police mostly kept a low profile. Newcastle fans believed that the policing of Newacstle games was good, that there are the right amount of police at games and that the Police maintaining safety inside and outside the ground and in city centre on match days.

At the meeting, Northumbria Police commended the behaviour of the vast majority of Newcastle fans on match days and compared us favourably to other fans across the country and specifically mentioned the work of fan groups in helping to CCC our last home game versus Sunderland.

A number of common themes emerged in the written responses that Newcastle fans gave in the survey and these were fed back to the police, including:

• Suggestions to close Strawberry Place and other roads to traffic around the ground for safety reasons in the 30 mins before and after games.
• Fans in the Leazes end reported that objects are thrown on them by away fans and that despite mentioning it to police or stewards, that they felt this was not dealt with.
• Banners and protests should be allowed in the ground and not stopped by the police.

Regarding the policing of home games against Sunderland, the Trust fed back the following comments from fans:

• Policing on derby days is often heavy-handed and can incite bad behaviour among both sets of fans.
• A criticism of early start times, especially where other derby games around the country manage to start later in the afternoon without any problems.
• Fans also believed that earlier start times did not think there would be more trouble. In addition, starting games earlier did not mean people drunk less – just that they began drinking earlier.
• A belief that the police holding back and escorting Sunderland supporters to Central Station was causing probably causing more problems than it solved.

For Sunderland away games, Newcastle fans felt that the amount of time they were held back at the Stadium of Light was excessive and that there are frequent crushes at St Peter’s station when Newcastle fans were allowed out of the ground and onto the Metro.

Northumbria Police are keen to continue to meet with fan groups and the Trust will continue to support these meetings and report back developments to our members.

NUST partners with Tyneside Healthy Lives

Newcastle United Supporters’ Trust  via our Junior Supporters TrustJUSTNewcastle (JUST), have partnered with the Tyneside Healthy Lives Project.

This is a project aimed at encouraging young people and families to be more active, whilst also offering offering nutritional advice and support.

Within the project, a range of community sports events will take place during school holidays, as well as being offered as part of pre/after school clubs.

Fourteen year old Carrigan, of Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne has recently been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Walker Technology College (Waverdale Avenue, Walker) in Newcastle’s East End, will be holding a charity fundraising day for this great cause this coming Saturday 07 June 10am-2pm.

Tyneside Healthy Lives will be present  providing two free instructors for a charity Zumbathon to help raise funds on the day.and we are delighted to be able to support this great local cause.

Other events taking place during the family fun day include, at least 12 teams in a World Cup type event, as well as bouncy castles, go karts, face-painting and food, and NUST’s giant shirt will make an appearance.

Steve Couldwell, Curriculum, Leader of PE at Walker Tech said;

“She is an amazingly brave young lady, who despite everything she is going through, is still smiling.”

Carrigan comes from a large family and is a very popular, well liked young lady, for whom the community wants to do something to help, and support in any way they can.

We are looking forward to helping to make Saturday a great success, building on the fact that Carrigan has many friends in the east end of the city, as well as her ‘Fighting for Polly’ Facebook page which has over 1200 people signed up to it.”

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough

Newcastle United fan and NUST member Matthew Close will be representing NUST and raising money for JUSTNewcastle in a sponsored walk up Mount Snowdon with representatives of 150 other football clubs.

Please sponsor Matthew here

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