AN INVERCLYDE housing association has thrown its weight behind a week-long national awareness campaign which aims to tackle hate crime.

Cloch Housing Association are supporting National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which is running from October 12 until October 19 and aims to increases understanding of hate crimes, hate incidents and to promote ways to report them.

The organisation will be promoting the event in its Greenock office and on its website and social media.

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A number of prominent local figures and groups have also given the awareness week their support and praised Cloch for championing the cause.

The Cloch Housing team are backing National Hate Crime Week. (Image: George Munro)

Michael Monaghan, director of customer services and communities at Cloch, said: “As a local community anchor, we have a wider responsibility than solely providing quality homes to our tenants.

"Indeed, our aim is to support long term positive change and we see challenging hate and inequality as being central to achieving this.

“Hate crime is always wrong. Cloch are committed to challenging this and are proud to stand side by side with our tenants and partner agencies in creating a better Inverclyde for everyone.”

The housing association already has a number of initiatives in place to tackle hate crime, including training their staff on the specifics of the Equalities Act and taking part in regular meetings with fellow associations and police to promote joined-up working.

Inverclyde Council leader Stephen McCabe said: “I welcome and support the Association’s commitment to equality for all and its zero tolerance of hate crime. Hate crime can never be acceptable under any circumstances.”

Erin Power, of local community care forum Your Voice Inverclyde, added: “It’s important to promote understanding, respect, and kindness towards all people. Hate crimes divide us; you can change this with your support.  

“Here at Your Voice, we offer a safe and inclusive space for all. Your Voice are a third party hate crime reporting centre and Keep Safe space.”

A spokesperson for Inverclyde Muslim Centre said the group was proud to support the week of awareness.

They added: “Inverclyde Muslim Centre are proud to support National Hate Crime Awareness Week and would like to thank all those involved with their efforts to eradicate hate crime.

“Hate crime is a very significant problem in our society, affecting our ability to feel safe and free.

“We should stand together and speak out against those who seek to divide our diverse community.”

Carrie Gallacher, of Inverclyde Women’s Aid, added that the local branch were supportive of Cloch’s efforts.

She said: “Working with partners to challenge gender inequality in all its forms is key to achieving our vision where women, children and young people are free from the threat of abuse, violence or oppression."

Councillor Robert Moran, chair of the Inverclyde Integrated Joint Board, which oversees with work of the area's health and social care partnership (HSCP), said: “Inverclyde is a multi-cultural community with people from a variety of backgrounds and we are proud to be a welcoming and inclusive place for all.

“The work of the Health and Social Care Partnership’s New to Scotland team alongside partners like Cloch Housing and with the support and kindness of the local community in welcoming families to Inverclyde is a shining example of what a caring and compassionate place this is."