MEET the new champion for victims of crime in Gwent.

Helen Whewell, from Abersychan, will work with Gwent’s police and crime commissioner to make sure victims have information and guidance in stressful situations such as giving evidence in court.

She will also help them outside of the criminal justice process, being there for them as they deal with a crime committed against them.

As well as direct work with victims, she will develop a brand new service called Connect Gwent aimed at helping organisations outside of the police, such councils, work together to support victims.

The project, based in the former Blackwood Police Station social club building, is being funded through the Ministry of Justice Victims Services grant.

Ms Whewell has previously worked as a social worker in the community mental health team at Newport City Council, liaising with the police in supporting people with mental illness, and joins Connect Gwent on secondment from Newport City Council.

Ms Whewell said: “It’s not often you get a chance to set something up specifically to meet people’s needs and I thought this was a fantastic opportunity to make a real positive difference to the lives of victims of crime in Gwent.”

Highlighting her vision for the service, Ms Whewell said: “Connect Gwent will achieve its best results if all the partners who provide support to victims of crime work together.”

She will organise regular meetings with partners in the community to discuss how they can work together to support victims of crime in Gwent.

Welcoming the appointment, the police and crime commissioner for Gwent, Ian Johnston, said: “We were looking for a confident and charismatic individual with experience of working within the criminal justice system to lead on the development and delivery of this service.

“I am delighted to say that we have found that person in Helen and I would like to congratulate her on securing this leading role in the development of this new service.

Connect Gwent will be up and running by the beginning of April this year with the official launch being planned for the end of May.