AN initiative to tackle begging in Taunton which folded last year is to be revived.
The Diverted Giving Scheme enabled people who felt pressurised by begging to instead donate to charities tackling homelessness in the town.
The aim of the DGS, which was wound up on the demise of the Taunton Town Centre Company in March 2014, was to reduce the need to beg and for visitors to feel safer.
Andy Sharman, scheme co-ordinator for Somerset Businesses Against Crime, said: “As levels of begging increase, we have held meetings to discuss the re-introduction of DGS to tackle some of these issues.
“We have identified that the previous DGS suffered from a lack of availability - Hatchers and Debenhams were the only stores to host a pot - and a lack of promotion.
“To address this, we will promote the scheme in begging ‘hotspots’ and look to get more collection points into locations in the town.”
Business interested in having a DGS pot on their premises should contact Mr Sharman before September 4.
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