A new Online Hate Crime Hub has been launched by the Metropolitan Police and the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime. At the launch of the new hub, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that five specially trained Met officers would ‘work with community experts to develop the police's understanding of online hate’. The hub will be able to refer victims to support groups and will work with local borough police teams to investigate crimes.

The LSAB Community Reference Group recently held an event at We Are 336, Brixton which aimed to help the Lambeth Community (both professionals and residents) think about their future choices and how to record these on an 'advanced statement.' It also encouraged people to think about how to decide who could speak for them, at a point when they are no longer able to, by setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney.

The BBC have reported on the successful conviction of Stephen Floyd, a man who persuaded two elderly women to grant him power of attorney before using their money to fund a gambling habit. 

In addition to gaining power of attorney, Floyd also persuaded the women to change their wills to make him the main beneficiary. Floyd used their money for other purposes than their own care, placing one victim into nursing care before selling her home and spending £230,000 of her money. He lost over £50,000 of the money through gambling at bookmakers.

Many people assume that there’s nothing they can do to prepare for their future treatment and care. But there are things we can do now to plan ahead and ensure that what matters to each of us is known about at the end of life. This is the focus of a new campaign, Make It Your Decision, launched last week by Compassion in Dying – the first of its kind to encourage people to plan ahead for their treatment and care and make their wishes known.

Today marks the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). FGM has been illegal in the UK since 1985, and since 2003 anyone taking a child out of the UK to be cut faces 14 years in prison.

Wednesday 1st February 2017 marks Dignity Action Day and the LSAB Community Reference Group is using this day to encourage others to sign up as Dignity Champions and promote the National Dignity Council’s 10 Point Dignity Do’s.

Zero tolerance of all forms of abuse is the first point in the Dignity Do’s.