Be the Good Guy - bin it, don't burn it.

 The 'Good Guys' will be out in force again this autumn to ensure a safe, clean bonfire night for St Helens residents.

The award-nominated 'Be the Good Guy' campaign, now in its fifth year, has helped to steadily reduce anti-social behaviour and nuisance fires over the bonfire period.

Last year, the campaign saw a 28 per cent reduction in the number of deliberate anti-social fires and an eight per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour.

The campaign, one of 11 projects shortlisted for the 2012 Tilley Awards, is a joint initiative put together by the St.Helens Community Safety Partnership - which includes St.Helens Council, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service, The Probation Service, residential social landlords and Merseyside Police.

Residents are encouraged to report the build up of combustible waste and street bonfires to St Helens Council on 01744 676789. Special teams organised by the Probation Service and St Helens Council Environmental Protection will then safely dispose of the material.

St.Helens Council's Cabinet Member for Environmental Protection and Safer Communities Councillor Richard McCauley said: "No one is trying to be a killjoy, but street bonfires can be dangerous and unpredictable - and can often fuel anti-social behaviour and firework
misuse.

"We want residents to enjoy bonfire night safely, and are encouraging everyone to attend organised firework displays. Spark in the Park takes place on Monday 5 November at Sherdley Park and will be a truly spectacular night."

Group Manager Chris Case, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service district manager for St.Helens, said: "We want to drive down deliberate, anti-social, nuisance fires during the bonfire period but we need help from people in the community to do this. Firefighters are engaging with youths and youth groups in St Helens delivering bonfire safety messages and water safety messages.

"The firefighters, along with members of the Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service Prevention Team in St.Helens, are also liaising with local shops and businesses to highlight the importance of refuse control and storage of wheelie bins. Wheelie bins should be stored away from windows and doors and should only be put out on the day of collection and removed as soon as possible after collection to a secure location."

The Tilley Awards highlight the best of British crime fighting. They show how police, councils, charities and the public can work together to tackle crime locally. Members of the public are encouraged to vote for their favourite and can do so by visiting http://tiny.cc/votegoodguy

 As well as the Good Guy campaign, St.Helens Council's Youth Service will be hosting a wide range of activities over the October half-term. The Altru Drama group will also be visiting a number of secondary schools in St Helens to deliver a theatre production about anti-social behaviour and the dangers of firework misuse. .

Good Guy is also supported by local retailers, who have agreed to limit their sale of fireworks in conjunction with St Helens Council's Trading Standards team - in a bid to help reduce firework misuse and anti-social behaviour. Local retailers, Bux's News, Salasar Stores, Just the Job, Trebaron Garden Centre and Pound Plus are doing their bit to support the campaign and will be displaying a Good Guy retailer certificate.

Find out more about the Good Guy campaign