EVOLVE Wirral - three years of making communities safer
An operation tackling serious and organised crime in Wirral is marking three years of progress with police and partners highlighting community success and sustained enforcement that has seen more than £2million of drugs removed from the streets.
EVOLVE Wirral, covering Noctorum, Beechwood and Ballantyne, and Woodchurch, is a Clear, Hold, Build initiative rolled out by the Home Office across the UK to improve communities most affected by serious and organised crime.
The Clear and Hold phases began following the murder of Elle Edwards on 24 December 2022.
The Build phase launched on 18 May 2023 focusing on creating safer, more prosperous neighbourhoods resilient to gang activity.
Since then, police and partners have worked hard to reduce criminality while supporting and strengthening communities.
In the last 12 months, officers have made 473 arrests linked to organised crime groups (OCGs), with offenders sentenced to 210 years in prison.
They have seized 100 weapons, over £520,000 of cocaine, heroin and cannabis and more than £470,000 in cash - most of which was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act and will be reinvested into communities.
A total of 25 adults and 60 children have been safeguarded and 108 warrants carried out.
In addition, all crime has fallen across the three areas by 12.6% since 2023.
EVOLVE Wirral is a long-term commitment, bringing police and partner agencies together to drive lasting change, protecting communities while shaping a safer future for generations to come.
Central to this work is a determination to challenge and change attitudes, particularly among those at risk of becoming involved in gang-related crime.
Over the past year, we have made significant progress disrupting organised crime, removing drugs and cash from the streets and reducing offending.
But our focus remains on tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, protecting the vulnerable and preventing harm before it happens. This requires strong partnerships with residents and local organisations.
We urge anyone with information about criminal activity to come forward, either directly to police or anonymously via Crimestoppers. Every piece of information can make a difference.
Clear, Hold, Build brings together Merseyside Police, partners and residents to disrupt and deter organised crime while rebuilding neighbourhoods into places people want to live, work and visit.
In the last year, Wirral Council has also led significant environmental improvements.
Community highlights include:
Beechwood and Ballantyne
- A successful community-led Bonfire Night event, in partnership with Onward Homes
- Greenacres Park Working Group has been relaunched to look at short-term problem solving, long-term regeneration and community engagement
- Problem Solving and Implementation (PSI) group has been successfully transferred to community ownership (led by Onward Homes, with continued support from Wirral Council).
Noctorum
- PSI group evolved into a resident-led committee, which looks at issues in the local community and finds solutions
- Creation of a community garden on the estate with new tree planting, community initiatives and funding secured to support further work.
Woodchurch
- Strong community-led Bonfire Night engagement
- Continued support for PSI meetings, chaired by Magenta Living, to address local issues, raise awareness and share opportunities.
Across all three areas
- The ‘You Matter’ youth project engaged more than 100 young people at risk of being involved in anti-social behaviour, criminality or exploitation. It also helped parents in need of support
- Continued involvement in national environmental campaigns such as Keep Britain Tidy and Love Parks.
Since EVOLVE launched in our borough, Wirral Council, Merseyside Police and partners have been working together to disrupt organised crime, protect neighbourhoods, and help communities feel safer and stronger.
Residents in the three areas covered - Woodchurch, Noctorum and Beechwood – support the programme and, with their active backing, overall crime has fallen 12.6% since 2023.
But EVOLVE Wirral is about more than just tackling crime—it’s about making it harder for criminal groups to operate in the first place by building resilience and creating positive change, so fewer people are drawn into gangs.
It is taking a joined-up approach, not only disrupting criminal activity but also strengthening communities that have been affected, helping people live more safely and peacefully.
Other successes in EVOLVE Wirral across the last 12 months include nearly 2,000 young people taking part in the Dear Merseyside project with Liverpool poet Joseph Roberts using spoken word to highlight the dangers of gangs and knife crime.
During whole‑year assemblies for years 7 and 8, Joseph delivered his powerful Dear Merseyside poem and video - a love letter to the county - created as part of the wider EVOLVE operation.
Pupils from Birkenhead Park School, Ridgeway High School, Woodchurch High School, St Anselm’s College and The Mosslands School took part as well as around 50 Year 9 pupils from Clare Mount Specialist Sports College.
Joseph’s assemblies aim to empower young people to make positive choices, follow their ambitions, and avoid being drawn into criminality or gangs.
In addition, Operation Prospect, an ongoing youth engagement project that highlights the dangers of carrying weapons and being involved in serious violence has reached nearly 1,500 pupils so far in Ridgeway High, The Mosslands School, Woodchurch High School and Clare Mount Sports College.
The initiative encourages young people to consider the consequences of their actions, recognise the signs of criminal exploitation, and understand the devastating ripple effect of gun and knife crime on individuals, families, and communities.
Girls from the three EVOLVE areas also took part in the VAWG Football Tournament for U13-U16 year olds from across Merseyside and the North West.
During the event, St John Ambulance provided first aid training, Merseyside Youth Association provided mental health advice and Wirral Taekwondo taught an introduction to self-defence.
In addition, following on from the participatory budget events last year which saw £44,500 awarded to 23 projects in the three areas, activities have been rolled out that aim to make a positive difference to the lives of residents.
Merseyside’s Police Commissioner awarded £30,000 of the funding under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which saw assets seized from convicted criminals reinvested in communities. The remaining money came from local social housing providers.
Marking three years since the launch of EVOLVE Wirral is an important moment to reflect on the progress made in tackling serious and organised crime across our communities.
Since the initiative began, we have seen meaningful action taken against those involved in organised criminality, alongside vital work to protect vulnerable people and help neighbourhoods feel safer and more secure.
This progress has been driven by the commitment of police officers, partner agencies and local residents working side by side. Their combined efforts have helped empower communities and reduce the grip that organised crime once had in these areas.
While we know there is more work ahead, the results achieved so far demonstrate that this collaborative approach is delivering real change. I want to thank everyone who has played a part and encourage continued support as we work to create a safer Wirral and Merseyside for future generations.
Working in partnership is central to everything we do, and Operation EVOLVE shows what can be achieved when organisations and communities come together.
Over the past year, Magenta Living has worked closely with Wirral Council’s ASB Team, Merseyside Police and other partners to take practical action, from improving neighbourhoods to tackling organised crime and supporting residents.
Our work in Woodchurch and Noctorum shows the difference this approach can make. By listening to residents and taking action together, we have helped make neighbourhoods safer, cleaner and places people can feel proud to call home.
Over the past three years, we’ve listened closely to customers’ feedback and joined local health, youth and community partners to tackle the issues that matter most in Beechwood and Ballantyne.
Through these partnerships, we have delivered diversionary activities at key times such as Bonfire Night to create positive opportunities for young people and help to tackle anti-social behaviour.
As well as this, we have carried out community-led environmental initiatives to enhance Greenacres Park and build pride in the area.
Our partnerships are making a real, positive impact across the neighbourhood, and together we’ve built a stronger, safer, and more connected community.
We’re determined to build on that momentum, working side by side with our partners to drive change and deliver even better outcomes for customers in the years ahead.
Anyone with information about crime is asked to call Merseyside Police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Alternatively, visit Crimestoppers’ website to make an online report here: Give information 100% anonymously about organised crime in Merseyside | Crimestoppers (crimestoppers-uk.org)
