Claremont, and Homewatch Coordinators’ Group (Helping to Keep Safe)

Letter from the Chair

Dear Coordinator

I would like to take this opportunity in thanking you for all the hard work and effort you put into being a coordinator. I also hope that you are all keeping safe and well through this uncertain time. Due to Covid 19 much of our work has been temporarily halted. This means that our regular meetings have stopped and so too has the networking with other community groups and organisations.

However, there has been work taking place in the background and I wanted to cascade this to you and to also reflect on some of the work we were doing prior to ‘lock down’. I also wanted to mention that this week is Neighbourhood Watch Week as well as Carers Week. As coordinators I would like for you to take time in visiting the OURWATCH and Claremont, Weaste and Seedley Homewatch Group websites. Both of these have important information regarding schemes, safety and handy tips and advice.

Many of you may remember our ‘Ode to Christmas’ event that was held last November. This was a resounding success thanks to the hard work of our committee members and from the fifty organisations that supported us. We had in excess of two hundred visitors to the event. It was staged as a way to bring the community together - as community cohesion is at the heart of what we do. It also highlighted what we as an organisation can offer to the community and it also gave charities, CiC’s, voluntary groups and local crafters a chance to engage with our residents. Many of the charities raised much needed funds on the day from the generosity of our visitors. Voluntary groups also recruited new volunteers and the crafters were able to sell their wonderful handcrafted cakes, art work, jewellery, knitted items, chocolate bouquets and clothing.

It was also a chance to showcase what our local youth groups can offer, with performances from the very talented young musicians of the Music Shed, and the outstanding help offered to us by the 42nd Salford Scout Group. I also need to mention our fantastic Neighbourhood Policing Team who were present throughout the day. They held a police surgery, entertained our younger visitors with a chance to sit in a tactical support van and helped us to raise awareness about safety. We also held a raffle of two chocolate bouquets kindly donated by Gifts Galore. The money raised was split between Victims Support and our group. Money to the Homewatch group is being used for vulnerable residents. A special thank you also goes to Mario Della Cella who donated several plants and Christmas table displays. A further thank you goes to Cllr Charlie McIntyre who, as the Ceremonial Mayor of Salford, opened proceedings.

As an on-going project, the group, along with Salford South East Neighbourhood Policing Team, has donated high visibility vests to six primary schools within our catchment area. These are for reception class children and are being used on day trips out and for the ‘Walking School Trains.’ Vests were also donated to SaYF a pre school group based on Cholmondeley Road, Salford.

We have secured £3000 of funding from ’s Standing Together Fund. This money will be used to purchase much needed security items for vulnerable residents and those who have the potential to become victims of crime. We are working with the Neighbourhood Policing Team and Victims Support in order to deliver this.

We have been discussing collaborative working with a charity for wounded service personal – Walking with the Wounded. This will be a project to tidy front gardens of elderly and vulnerable residents therefore making the properties less of a target for doorstep criminals.

Our plan to organise a coordinators conference has been postponed due to the current situation, but hopefully will take place as soon as possible once the government lift more restrictions. The conference will be an opportunity to discuss next steps for the group, offer support and guidance to coordinators and will have guest speakers covering: Cyber Crime, Hate Crime, Terrorism and Security. There will also be a number of partner agencies on hand to offer information and guidance.

I want to end by thanking those of you who have gone over and above to help local residents who are finding life hard at the moment, be it from having to shield in lock down or those who are in financial hardship. I want to thank our member Yvonne Simms who has been tirelessly working putting together and delivering food parcels. Yvonne with her team of volunteers works with Holiday Hunger and Salford Food Parcels. I want to thank those of you who have volunteered to shop and collect prescriptions for neighbours and for those who have been supporting our fabulous NHS and Care givers. I would like to thank those of you have been manning phone lines as part of the Spirit of Salford campaign and I would also like to thank our member Julie Baines who has been keeping our website up to date on a daily basis, with information relating to Covid 19 and all the latest safety updates and news from around the catchment area. You are all amazing!

For news and information please visit: www.candwhomewatch.btck.co.uk, and tune in to Community Beat Salford City Radio 94.4FM where our very own PCSO Mark Stewardson hosts a weekly show.

Please stay safe,

Gail Bowker Chair