A new firm has taken over responsibility for restorative justice and the mediation service in Cheshire.

Police and crime commissioner David Keane has welcomed the announcement that Remedi UK will take over the Cheshire services.

Speaking at an event hosted by the commissioner with the voluntary and community sector, Mr Keane said: “Having Remedi UK on board is a great result for the people of Cheshire. Not only do they have a solid track record in delivering services for victims but they will also provide renewed focus on partnership working, multi-agency training and crucially, engaging the community through volunteering.

“They have a solid foundation to build on, following the work of Victim Support over the last 18 months. I am really looking forward to seeing Remedi take services in Cheshire to the next level.”

After a brief transition period, Remedi UK went live as the provider on July 1. They will be working across Cheshire to co-ordinate and facilitate restorative justice with a clear focus on positive outcomes for victims as well as working with communities, families and individuals to support mediation where there is risk of crime of victimisation.

Remedi UK assistant director Nicola Bancroft said: “We are delighted to have won the new contract and we are looking forward to working closely with the commissioner to deliver for Cheshire. We will be working with partner agencies across Cheshire to ensure a consistent and high quality approach.”

The service, based in Ellesmere Port Police Station, will be responsible for coordinating restorative practices across partners and delivering specifically targeted training. They will also aim to support restorative practices across Cheshire schools and develop a team of volunteers.

New service manager Lisa Gill said: “Building capacity, expertise and resilience across Cheshire will be a core emphasis for the service that Remedi UK will be providing. We’ve all been really excited to get going and look forward to delivering a top class service for the coming months and years.”

To contact the Hub call 0800 640 6466 or email RJHub@remedi.org or RJ.Hub@remedi.cjsm.net