This Derby charity partnership supports vulnerable young people through the Safe & Sound Group.
“Your support will genuinely help change young people’s lives
forever.” Tracy Harrison, CEO, Safe and Sound
When Derbyshire Advanced Motorcyclists selected Safe and Sound as its Charity
of the Year for 2026 at the recent AGM, members were supporting an organisation
working at the sharp end of protecting vulnerable young people from all forms of
child exploitation. Speaking to DAM Secretary, Vaughn, Safe and Sound’s CEO
Tracy Harrison described the charity as one that not only supports children and
families directly, but also tackles a subject many people still find difficult to discuss
openly. Safe and Sound works with children as young as eight years old, helping
those affected by grooming, coercion and exploitation, while also educating
communities on prevention and awareness.
Tracy brought more than three decades of policing experience into the role, having
spent 32 years working with young people before becoming only the third CEO of
the charity seven years ago. She explained that one of the biggest misconceptions
surrounding exploitation is the tendency towards victim blaming. “The facts are that
the victims have been groomed and coerced and blackmailed,” she said.
Increasingly, the charity is seeing online risks through social media, gaming
platforms and smartphone apps, with many of the young people they support also
living with additional vulnerabilities such as ADHD or other special educational
needs. Support from Safe and Sound is tailored to every individual, with dedicated
caseworkers helping rebuild confidence, trust and family relationships over periods
that often last many months. Stories shared through the charity’s “In Their Words”
programme show how this patient, person-centred approach has helped young
people regain stability, confidence and hope for the future.
The partnership with Derbyshire Advanced Motorcyclists began through the
group’s support of Safe and Sound’s 2025 Christmas Santa Toy Run, and Tracy
spoke warmly about the relationship already developing between the charity and
the club. She said being selected as the group’s chosen charity “means a lot” and
highlighted how important community support is—not just financially, but also in
helping to raise awareness of exploitation and the challenges vulnerable families
face. Recent donations from the DAM group, such as Easter eggs for families
supported by the charity, may seem small gestures, but they carry a powerful
message that “someone is thinking about them”.
Looking ahead through 2026, Safe and Sound hopes DAM members will continue
helping to spread awareness, support fundraising efforts and potentially become
involved as volunteers or ambassadors. With only around 30 staff plus a team of
volunteers supporting more than 300 cases a year across Derbyshire, every
contribution makes a genuine difference. Tracy’s closing message to members was
simple but powerful: “Your support will genuinely help change young people’s lives
forever.”
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