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Hello My name is Jo Hall, and I am the Chairperson of the Huntingdonshire Neighbourhood Watch Association (HNWA). I have been a scheme coordinator for over 22 years and also serve as a Membership Support Administrator (MSA). Together with my colleague Janet Thomas, who is HNWA’s main MSA, we oversee more than 200 Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) schemes in the area. Our role is to assist NHW coordinators with any queries or support they may need. Both of us have been granted access to the NHW National Database, which securely stores members’ contact information in compliance with the GDPR Act 2018. We ensure that all data is handled responsibly and with the utmost confidentiality. While reviewing the database for Hemingford Grey, I noticed that we currently have 30 NHW schemes listed. On closer inspection:
• Only 4 schemes are confirmed as Active
• 6 schemes have no Coordinator
• Several residents appear to be members of more than one scheme
This suggests that the current structure reflects historic registrations rather than the reality of how the village is operating today. It also creates unnecessary administrative complexity and makes it harder for residents to know which scheme they belong to.
With this in mind, I feel it would be far more effective for Hemingford Grey to operate with two well‑defined schemes, each supported by a Coordinator and a Deputy Coordinator. This would provide clearer leadership, improve resilience, strengthen communication, and give residents a more cohesive sense of belonging. It would also reduce duplication and make it easier for us—and our police partners—to maintain accurate records and engagement.
I would very much welcome your thoughts on this approach and whether you feel it would benefit the community going forward.
If you have any questions or concerns, just get in touch. I’m here to help and will do my best to sort things out.. I can be contacted via jo.hall@hnwa.uk anytime. You can also contact Janet Thomas via janet.thomas@hnwa.uk I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards Jo | 
