We’re pleased to have collaborated with Herefordshire Mencap to help make trusted Safe Places across Herefordshire easier to find through imabi Travel Guardian app.
Safe Place locations coordinated by Herefordshire Mencap have now been added to Travel Guardian’s interactive map, giving residents and visitors another simple way to find nearby businesses, shops and community venues where they can ask for help or reassurance if they feel vulnerable, frightened or at risk while out and about.
For us, this collaboration is about building on valuable support that already exists within communities and using technology to help more people know where to find it.
Supporting an established local network
Herefordshire Mencap works with local people with learning disabilities, their families and others who want to make a difference, and coordinates the Safe Places scheme across the county.
Participating venues provide a welcoming place where somebody who feels vulnerable, upset or threatened can ask for help.
By bringing these locations into Travel Guardian, we’re not replacing the existing scheme or the ways people already access it. Instead, we’re helping extend its visibility by putting the information into another tool that people can have with them while they’re out in their community.
As Mark Balaam, Founder and CEO of imabi, said:
“The work Herefordshire Mencap does to support people with learning disabilities and help them feel safer, more confident and connected within their communities is incredibly important. Their commitment is reflected in the Safe Places scheme they coordinate across Herefordshire, and we are delighted to play a small part in supporting it.”
He added that making the trusted locations available through Travel Guardian is intended to build on Herefordshire Mencap’s work and make it easier for people to find help and reassurance when they need it.
More ways to find support
The Herefordshire Safe Places will continue to be available through the National Safe Places app and Safe Places National Network website, alongside their new visibility through Travel Guardian app.
