Network of community groups set up to support reporting of hate crime

01 April 2026

A photograph showing representatives of some of the groups you have been training on helping people report hate crime

Wirral Council has launched an innovative new scheme designed to make it easier and safer for people across the borough to report hate crime — particularly those in seldom‑heard communities.

Hate crime remains significantly under‑reported in Wirral, with many people facing barriers that prevent them from seeking help.

Community organisations have highlighted a range of barriers that might be stopping people reporting problems, including mistrust of authority, cultural or language differences, fear of repercussions and limited awareness of existing reporting routes.

To break down these barriers, Wirral Council’s Community Safety service has formed a new Hate Crime Reporting Centre Network, offering safe, community‑based spaces where people can report hate crime in ways that feel comfortable, supportive and culturally appropriate.

Four experienced community organisations are joining the pilot as founding Reporting Centres as it launches today, 1 April 2026. They are Heart4Refugees, Tomorrow’s Women Wirral (women only), Wirral Change and Wirral Deen Centre.

Each centre has trained staff or volunteers (pictured) who can sensitively take a hate‑crime report using a new council‑led pathway. For the first time, reports made at these centres will come directly to the council, giving victims an alternative, less formal route towards seeking help without initially needing to approach the police.

Victims will be able to report either anonymously, providing intelligence to help identify trends and shape future support or by giving their name, enabling referrals into Wirral’s Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) processes and access to specialist victim‑support services.

Where appropriate, this supportive community‑based process can also help bridge the gap towards people making a formal report to Merseyside Police, potentially assisting cases to progress to investigation or prosecution.

We are committed to supporting everyone to feel safe and supported in our communities. By working hand‑in‑hand with trusted community organisations, this pilot creates welcoming spaces for people to speak up about hate crime and get the help they need. It is a major step toward improving reporting, strengthening community confidence, and ensuring that all victims — no matter who they are or where they come from — can have their voices heard.

Cllr Ann Ainsworth, Vice-Chair of the Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure Committee for Wirral Council

The contact details for the four centres are:-