Celebrate Not Hate: a creative response to Hate Crime Awareness Week

Creating a wall of welcoming messages is just one of the activities on offer this weekend as Salford does its bit for Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Pop-up events are being held where visitors can create art to celebrate diversity and find information about how to deal with hate crime.

The non-profit organisation, Arts Let Loose, is hosting it second event in Swinton Square on Saturday, February 8 from 11am-3pm, after the success of its first last weekend.

Clay heads created by the community. Image credit: Aroob Raja.

Activities include making clay heads to symbolise diversity in the Salford community and writing post-it notes to build a ‘wall’ of positive messages.

PCSO Jane (pictured) at her table with PC Hulmes (not pictured) in Costa. Image credit: Aroob Raja

Alongside Arts Let Loose, two police officers also held a stall at the first pop-up event to encourage members of the community to start a conversation about hate crime.

PC Hulmes of Swinton Police Station said: “We’re trying to make people aware of the hate crime campaign that’s going on at the moment. Everyone needs to be aware […] because a lot of people don’t see it as a crime and a lot of people don’t report it.”

PC Hulmes said she wants more people to be involved with the week and learn more about hate crime generally.

She added: “The ultimate result for us is to make more people aware that it is going on, that it’s not acceptable, and that people should be reporting it.”