Kingston launches new Safe Havens scheme
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames has launched a new Safe Havens scheme, creating trusted places across the borough where anyone who feels unsafe, vulnerable, intimidated or harassed can seek temporary safety and practical support.
Five leisure and activity centres became the first Safe Havens in August, as part of a new community safety initiative being introduced by Kingston Council in partnership with Safer Business Network and supported by Places Leisure.
Safe Havens are businesses and community venues that agree to provide a temporary place of safety for someone who needs help while out and about.
Participating locations display a Safe Haven sticker so that members of the public can easily recognise them, while staff receive practical training to help them respond appropriately.
Someone might use a Safe Haven because they are feeling threatened or being followed, have become unwell or vulnerable, need help contacting someone they trust, or simply need somewhere safe to stop and work out what to do next.
The initiative forms part of Kingston Council’s wider community safety work to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), hate crime, stalking, harassment and abuse. While Safe Havens are available to anyone who needs support, Kingston has highlighted the particular role they can play in improving safety for women and girls and supporting the objectives of its Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2025–2030.
Mapping Kingston’s Safe Havens
Kingston Council has also partnered with imabi as part of the Safe Havens project, with participating locations plotted on the Travel Guardian map.
Mapping Safe Havens provides another way for people to discover trusted places of safety in their local community. Residents and visitors using Travel Guardian can identify nearby participating locations and get directions to them directly from their phone.
Travel Guardian is completely free to download and use and includes mapped community safety information alongside personal safety features designed to help people feel more confident when travelling or spending time away from home.
“Kingston’s new Safe Havens scheme is a strong example of practical community safety in action, bringing local venues together to provide visible, immediate support to anyone who may feel unsafe or vulnerable.
We are delighted to support the scheme by mapping participating Safe Havens within Travel Guardian, making trusted local support easier for residents and visitors to find when they need it”
The scheme also demonstrates the important role that local businesses, leisure facilities and community organisations can play in improving community safety.
Kingston Council is encouraging more suitable businesses and venues to get involved as it looks to expand the Safe Havens network across the borough.
