Operation Homeguard Initiative by the Community Safety Partnership
PC Michael Lee is attached to the Community Safety Partnership at Colchester and is keen to expand an already successful operation known as ‘Operation Homeguard‘ which has been active in and around Colchester since 2013, he writes as follows:
Operation Homeguard is a successful Essex Police project run in Colchester. The concept of the Operation sees members of the local community joining Police officers and staff in order to offer public reassurance in identified areas. Members of Operation Homeguard see themselves engaging with residents, informing them of crime issues in their area and giving crime prevention information. They are a high visibility deterrent.
The Operation gives volunteers the opportunity to work with Police and gain experience of working with the public. All members are issued with Police Volunteer Identification, Note Book and specially commissioned uniformed jackets. This is a non-confrontational role and Police are always on deployments.
To date, we have interacted with around 12,000 residents in Colchester, spread over 45 separate deployments since its implementation in April 2013.
Members of Operation Homeguard have used the experience they have gained to further their studies or go on to find full-time permanent employment.
We are always looking for professional and reliable people to join Operation Homeguard.
If you are interested or would like further information please contact PC 71833 Michael Lee or PCSO 73140 Hunter at [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”] for further information.
Neighbours are asked to smile as part of social experiment in UK communities
Jay Crawford, one of the residents of Lingard Road, Manchester, who took part in a social experiment designed to strengthen residents’ links with their neighbours.
The Essex Police Neighbourhood Watch Liaison regularly issues reports and advice which are reported once a month on this site in the monthly crime update – this item we have received seems too novel and interesting to leave to the month-end compilation – enjoy and,don’t forget, SMILE:-
Do you smile at the people next door, pat their cats and dogs, take out their bins or know their names? If so, you are very much in a minority, as British people have been revealed as a reserved lot who don’t know their neighbours.
According to new research, one in 10 UK residents can’t name a single one of their neighbours, while less than a fifth of people know the names of even their immediate neighbours. But they would like to: almost two-thirds (65%) of people say their neighbourhood would be a “stronger” and safer place if people were encouraged to get to know each other better.
In a survey and a follow-up social experiment carried out to mark the 50th anniversary of the Neighbourhood Watch network, people were questioned about their connection with their local community. Less than a quarter of those surveyed said they felt a sense of belonging, but there was a clear sense of craving for neighbourly contact.
Neighbourhood Watch carried out the study with price comparison website comparethemarket.com. Then, taking one ordinary street, a social anthropologist was drafted in to work with a selected number of residents to get them to let go of their British inhibitions and reach out to the people they lived alongside.
In the month-long experiment, the participants – who all lived on suburban Lingard Road in Manchester – were asked to keep a diary of how they got on. Five households had strict instructions to smile at people in the street and offer help where they could, and to try to strike up conversations. Although several reported “strange looks” and some initial reserve, by the end of the four weeks all the Lingard Road participants reported success.
I’ve really seen a difference. People I’ve never met before have been a bit more sociable and said hello on several occasions. The study has been useful and really proven that we are a nice little street with a small community,
… said Jay Crawford, who had lived in the area for 24 years without plucking up the courage to talk to anyone, but now is delighted to be running a bin rota with his new friendly neighbours.
Social anthropologist Kate Fox, director at the Social Issues Research Centre in Oxford, said the experiment tapped in to a very real desire to be part of a community.
“The activity confirms my own findings that the English or British reserve stereotype is misleading,”
she said.
We are not reserved in the sense of introverted or misanthropic or unsociable: we are social animals just like all other humans, and have the same need for a sense of community and belonging. We are just a bit more socially awkward than other nations – and have stricter unwritten rules about privacy, not talking to strangers, and that kind of thing.
So we need more props and facilitators – pubs, clubs, pets, sports, games, weather-talk, alcohol, internet – to break the ice and get us interacting with each other.
Fox believes only the smallest “nudge” is needed to get people building a better neighbourhood.
The experiment shows even very small gestures, saying hello, can have a significant positive effect on a neighbourhood.
Stephen Adams took over the Queens Head in mid-May after a significant revamp, the pub reopened at the start of June with the sole aim of being an integral part of the West Bergholt community and to offer a real family orientated ‘Village Pub’.
Although the revamp is not yet complete the pub is open from 11am every day and will be serving food all day as from Friday 18th July 2014. They will be doing a wholesome “Pub” menu with the majority of the food being home cooked and above all reasonably priced.
They will then open and clean up the garden putting in nice furniture catering for all during the day, night and weekends.
So far the village has been very welcoming and the revamp very well received and Stephen would welcome any comments or input that could help them as a business and the community and welcome any groups that would like to make use of the facilities.
Stephen can be contacted on 240394 or by email [antibot mailto=”[email protected]”].
Members of West Bergholt Snow Patrol pictured in early 2012
Snow worries? For the past 2 years we have had a brave band of “Snow Patrol” volunteers who have worked to keep the pavements in key areas clear of ice and snow during bad weather.
With early indications suggesting a colder winter than average for the UK, we hope the current volunteers will again join the team this year. Any new volunteers would be very welcome to help as well. We aim to keep the pavements clear for access to essential community assets such as:
Shops,
Pharmacy,
Doctors Surgery,
Heathlands School,
Bus Stops,
Orpen Hall,
Places of Worship, etc…
Anyone who is willing to participate can phone Harry Stone on 241026 or email [email protected].
It’s not too late to have your say on the future of supported local bus services.
As you may be aware, in September the County Council began a major review of its support for local bus services in the County. The public consultation seeks residents’ and passenger transport customers’ views on local bus services which are supported by the County Council, and their preferences and needs for services in the future.
The consultation has now been ‘live’ for 7 weeks. It’s clear that people care about the future of their individual bus services, however, the Council would like to encourage as many people as possible to take this opportunity to contribute towards the future of local bus services. It is important the Council has a high level of response from the public so that decisions are made on robust evidence.
The consultation can be accessed online until 9 December 2013. Paper copies of the consultation are also be available through libraries or by calling 0845 603 7631.
Our village & parish life in our hands Click logo to complete survey.
The Neighbourhood Plan survey has drawn in an encouraging 300 responses to date, many of these online using the electronic survey. The Steering Group have a target of 500 responses in mind as this would represent about a third of all households. With this in mind the survey period has been extended to 19th July.
So if you haven’t responded yet, or if there are others in your household you could encourage to respond, please take the 10 minutes needed to complete the questionnaire ideally on line! If you prefer to respond on paper then remember the questionnaire was included as an insert in June’s Village Bulletin. If you need extra copies of the survey, the paper copy is also available to download here – WB HH Questionnaire ver 15.
Extra prize draw for under-18 survey respondents
Remember you can enter our prize draw with a chance to win a Co-op hamper! As an added incentive for younger members of the community to respond, we are creating a second prize of a £20 Amazon gift voucher available for respondents aged under 18.
The residents of West Bergholt will soon have 24 hour access to a defibrillator unit, thanks to the East of England Co-op.
Working in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service, the Co-op is funding 100 defibrillators to be placed in communities across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, as part of the Every Minute Counts Campaign.
A defibrillator is a potentially life-saving machine that gives the heart an electric shock in some instances of Cardiac Arrest.
If you suspect somebody to be in Cardiac Arrest you should dial 999 so that an ambulance can be sent to you. If there is more than one person with the casualty, you will be directed to the defibrillator whilst the other person performs CPR.
The defibrillator will be in a yellow cabinet situated at the Co.op Store, West Bergholt . The operator will provide you with an access code to get into the cabinet. The defibrillator should be taken out and taken back to the casualty and the operator will provide guidance over the phone.
If someone is able to administer CPR or use a defibrillator in the first four minutes, whilst the ambulance is en route, there is a significantly higher survival rate. Once the ambulance has arrived the paramedics will take over.
The East of England Co-op and East of England Ambulance Service will be holding defibrillator demonstrations across the region, so you can see how it works and ask any questions you may have. Visit the Co-op website, www.eastofengland.coop/everyminutecounts.
… then why not get involved in cutting this scourge down. A Community Speedwatch foray near the Brewery yesterday morning captured details of 4 excessive speeders in the space of 50 minutes, all of which were passed to Essex Police, earlier in the month even more were caught on the A1124.
The more volunteers we have to mount these random speedchecks the more uncertainty we can put into the minds of frequent offenders who clearly have no qualms in breaking the speed limits on a regular basis. If you would like to join those already helping to make our roads safer then please contact Anthony Robin ([email protected]) and he will arrange training for you. If you would like to find out more about it first then please visit http://www.drivingcasualtiesdown.org/pages/enforcement/community-speedwatch/
This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
Essex Police showing youngsters how the equipment works
Liz Harrington, Parish Councillor and Community Speedwatch Coordinator, is pleased to report that the Community Speedwatch team have run a good number of sessions and, as a result of their reports,the police have been out to monitor and issue tickets.
More volunteers are always welcome though and, if you are interested, you would first attend an initial training session. Once trained you would then join the team, helping to make it plain to all that we will not tolerate speeding vehicles in the village, making it a safer place for all. The emphasis is firmly on educating drivers to slow down. Anyone interested in joining, please contact Liz directly – her contact details are on our website here.
This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
From July 1st, Essex Police becomes one of the first forces to switch to the new, national, police non-emergency 101 telephone number (replacing 0300 333 4444). You can use this number if you need to contact Essex Police about any non-emergency crime issue, to contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, to seek crime prevention or personal safety advice, contact your nearest police station or to speak to us about any other non-emergency issue.
Please be assured that the emergency 999 number remains. unchanged and should continue be used if you have an emergency
Essex Police is currently undergoing a major change programme in order to save money, whilst continuing to provide a first class service to the public, and has already begun to make positive changes. The views of those who visit, live or work in Essex are extremely important to Essex Police and Essex Police Authority to enable them to take this programme forward and they would therefore be grateful if you could take a couple of minutes to answer the questions in their public on-line survey. To do this, please go to www.essex.police.uk/authority and click on the Reform Survey link which will take you into the survey, or go directly to www.surveymonkey.com/s/7GSFLG5. This public survey is open to everyone and they are committed to seeking the views of as many people across Essex as they can and hope representation will be wide and varied. So, if you know of someone who you think might be interested in having their say and making a difference in their community, could you please take a moment to pass these details on to them and ask them to do the same with their contacts?
This material has been developed for the West Bergholt Village Website at http://www.westbergholt.net
Operation Homeguard Initiative by the Community Safety Partnership
The Operation gives volunteers the opportunity to work with Police and gain experience of working with the public. All members are issued with Police Volunteer Identification, Note Book and specially commissioned uniformed jackets. This is a non-confrontational role and Police are always on deployments.
