Councillor Paula Riches - Executive Member for Community Safety, Portsmouth City Council, Portsmouth, UK

Scary Guy is Coming.

Remember the tattooed face of Scary Guy from the Spring issue of House Talk? Well, he is set to be in the area in October for a five-week programme working with children, in some local secondary and primary schools, to tackle anti-social behaviour.

His appearance, and experience of prejudice, is used to good effect to help children understand the impact their behaviour has on each other and the wider community.

Councillor Paula Riches, Executive Member for Community Safety, said: “ It’s great news that Scary is Guy is coming to our schools. We have the youth wardens and youth advisers already helping to promote community-mindedness in children. But we want to ensure we bring people like Scary Guy to Portsmouth to help educate our kids to grow up respecting one another and the people around them. Scary Guy has a positive impact on young people’s lives and he is welcome any time in our city.”

Earlier this year, Scary guy made a surprise appearance at the Landport & Buckland Community Safety Panel, Portsmouth UK. Long time Buckland resident, Philip Hudson said, “He is certainly different but although he might at first seem intimidating, he genuinely has young peoples’ best interests at heart. He emphasised the importance of being positive, particularly with young people, if we are to reverse any negative tendencies.”

Nicki Smith is a Neighbourhood Management Link Officer who was present at the same panel meeting. She thought he was ‘fabulous,’ and told House Talk, “I was very impressed with his approach in getting across. He completely engages his audience from beginning to end. I did not have a very good experience when I was at school and wish he had been around in my day.”