A PROJECT set up to support vulnerable people who may get lost or confused while in York has won praise from North Yorkshire's chief constable.

We Care provides people with learning difficulties or disabilities with a card with details about the scheme and of their next of kin or carers. If the member feels confused, disorientated or scared in York, they can approach someone, go into a shop or speak to a police officer and show the card to request help. Contact can then be made with their carer of next of kin.

PCSO Justin Piercy worked with York People First to set up the We Care Initiative, and said more than 70 people had signed up so far.

Chief Constable Lisa Winward presented PCSO Piercy and members of York People First with commendations for their achievements with the project at a ceremony in York.

PCSO Piercy said: “It’s a tough role to carry out on a daily basis so it’s nice that something as important as this is registered and it’s great that the Chief Constable, PCC and area commander were here. It’s not every day you get to speak to them and have them show gratitude, especially for York People First, who were absolutely over the moon. They’ve done a lot of the work and we’re going to get them individual certificates, which they’re really pleased with."

Because the scheme helps reduce police involvement in incidents, he said it was not clear how many times the cards had been used, but officers had only been involved in five callouts since its launch, and feedback from shops and businesses in York had been very positive.

He said: “I’ve been doing presentations around businesses and care homes, places like that, and the next stage will be to target some more businesses and get more people to sign up.

“Seventy people have signed up to it so far, which is more than the 50 we were hoping for. We wanted to test it with people we signed up and make sure it worked properly, and we’ve ironed out a few minor points. In the next six weeks, we will be doing another big push to launch it more widely.

“We want to have a big push in York because we know there are hundreds of people in the city that this scheme can apply to, possibly even thousands.

"Hopefully in the new year, we will push it out right across North Yorkshire. It will be going out across the area and I’ll be training staff on how to roll it out. We’re expecting a massive influx of applications at that stage.”