Pengelly Avenue Neighbourhood Watch

Hello Barbara

Thank you for returning my call. 

My name is Alasdair Bavister and I'm a Membership Services Administrator (MSA) for OurWatch, the national Neighbourhood Watch organisation and also a member of the executive of the Association of Dorset Watches (ADW).

We're contacting all the registered Neighbourhood Watch Main Coordinators in Dorset by phone, to find out how things are, and to confirm that they and their schemes are active.

You confirmed that Pengelly Avenue is an active Neighbourhood Watch with you as Main Coordinator.

You said there are 10 households in Pengelly Avenue but I can see that only you are signed up as a member of Neighbourhood Watch. Ideally your neighbours should become registered members of Neighbourhood Watch. It's very easy to do this by going online to 

https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/joinNW

or simply “Google” join Neighbourhood Watch.

They can then put in their postcode to find local schemes, the first of which listed is Pengelly Avenue and can sign up to join the scheme. Alternatively they can click on "Become a Member" “Join Us”.

As discussed, a good way of running a NW scheme is to have a WhatsApp group. This enables members of the group to communicate securely between themselves with no one else able to access it. You, or one of your neighbours, can set up a WhatsApp group as Pengelly Avenue Neighbourhood Watch You can then contact your neighbours, asking them to text you their names, addresses and mobile numbers, which you can then add to your contacts in your phone and then to the WhatsApp group.

You said that one of your neighbours is very active with NW and maybe, when they register, you can ask them to become Deputy Coordinator.

Wishing you success in getting your neighbours to sign up to Neighbourhood Watch and joining Pengelly Avenue NW and forming a WhatsApp group.

Another thing that can be done is to make contact with your Neighbourhood Policing Team. Again, this can be done online.

It sounds as though your experience with 101 was far from satisfactory. If you're not happy about it you cold contact the Police & Crime Commissioner's office and tell them what happened. If the 101 operator didn't even take your name that's a very poor reflection on 101 and good if it's flagged up. All calls to 101 will be recorded so, if you can give date and time, it can be followed up and you should get a reply.

This message has been copied to Amanda Anderson, Resilient Communities Coordinator, Dorset Police.

All the best

Alasdair

Alasdair Bavister

07709 209355