Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP)

The Bedfordshire Serious Violence and Exploitation Strategy 2025-2027 has been published, marking a significant step forward in tackling violence and exploitation. 

Alongside the publication of the strategy, the Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit (VERU) will officially become the Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP).   

The change to VEPP represents more than a new name. It is a strategic realignment that will look to: 

• Better communicate our purpose and priorities – moving from a unit to a collaborative partnership model.  
• Emphasise prevention as a central pillar in tackling the root cause of violence and exploitation.  
• Reinforce our role in coordinating partnership activity, enabling a consistent and integrated approach across agencies.  

Over the past year, this strategy has been developed through close collaboration with our partners, including workshops, interviews, and joint planning. 

VEPP will coordinate three core workstreams: 

• Serious Violence Duty (SVD): Supporting partners to meet statutory requirements. 
• Prevention Partnerships: A newly formed government initiative, focused on targeted early intervention, being piloted via VRU areas.  
• Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) Programme: Continuing to deliver the VRU within Bedfordshire embedding a public health approach to serious violence and exploitation.  

Bedfordshire Serious Violence and Exploitation Strategy 

Bedfordshire's Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit