FRESH efforts are being made to stamp out street begging in central Swindon.

Street Safe is a new scheme which is giving people the chance to donate directly to charity instead of to street beggars.

Town centre management company inSwindon has organised for collection boxes to be placed in city centre cafes, restaurants and stores.

"Our street ambassadors, known as the Street Team, and the police, have been working closely to help move beggars on and this has been very successful," said Mark Ross, chief executive of inSwindon.

"Begging is illegal, it is antisocial and this initiative will help reduce it further.

"Giving directly to beggars often means money ending up with drug dealers. It's not true of all of them, but many people on the streets are drugs users or alcoholics."

Sergeant Chris Palframan, of the town centre neighbourhood policing team, said: "We get quite a few complaints about people begging.

"We're trying to make the streets a safe place."

The money raised will be given to an agency that deals with homeless people - Homeless Organisations Stick Together (HOSTS) which helps homeless people to improve their lives.

Steph Tully, inSwindon's marketing and communications manager, said: "This is a way of giving the homeless the help they need and working with all the right organisations who know how to help them."

Richard Hazell, the chairman of HOSTS, said the money would be put towards creative writing, photography and a laptop computer to allow homeless people to improve or update their CVs.

"It's more likely to make a positive change to the lives of homeless people than the short-term effect, which may be helping that person buy drugs or alcohol.

"It promotes a more positive way for local people to support local homeless people.

"Trapped in a cycle of deprivation, this might be a way to get a feeling of self-worth and move on in their lives.

"I cannot find them somewhere to live, but we can help them change their mindset, which is an important part of the process."

The inSwindon team will publicise and promote the collection boxes and convince other outlets to sign up and run occasional street collections.

Among those already participating are: Baguette de Jour, Manhattan Coffee Company, Mike McGuire, Burty's Café, and JD Monk Opticians, all in Havelock Street; Black's Outdoor Leisure and Vince Ayris in Havelock Square; Madhouse in Regent Street; Stagecoach Bus Service in Carlton Street; the Octagon Cafe in Newbridge Square; and Savers in the Parade.