Neighbourhood Watch Cardiff Update

by Bill Farnham

Our first “on the road” General Meeting at The Church Centre, Thornhill last month was very successful with a very good attendance from members of various Watch Groups around the City and also,  several  P C’s and PCSO’s from South Wales Police who were able to answer questions from the audience. The speaker’s subject related to Home Security and was very well received with lots of questions asked.

Also last month I addressed the Healthy, Wealthy and Wise club in Ely which was very well received with, again, quite a few questions from the audience. We will have to wait and see whether this leads to any more Watch Groups being set up in that area. On the subject of new Watch Groups, a new one has now been launched which covers Kelston Place/Cambourne Avenue, Whitchurch and the launch meeting was very well attended indeed. I have been in contact with two possible Co-ordinators for new Watch Groups, one in Whitchurch and one in Lisvane so I now await further information from them. There are further possibilities in the pipeline so I will keep you informed of developments.

I have recently attended two sessions at Severn Road Adult Learning Centre, Canton together with PCSO’s from South Wales Police at which we promoted Neighbourhood Watch and had quite a lot of interest shown by people from various parts of the City and beyond which was very encouraging.

On the 24th April I will be attending the All Wales Regional Development Meeting in Llandrindod Wells, Powys at which we will be discussing a very full agenda which includes input from representatives from Gwent, North Wales, Dyfed Powys as well as ourselves, so I will update you with the outcome in the next issue.

National Neighbourhood Watch Week this year is from 15th to 23rd June and we have several activities lined up. On Saturday 15th June I will be manning a stall at Whitchurch library between 10.00am and 12.00 noon and then in the afternoon I will be assisting South Wales Police at the Lisvane Festival from 2.00pm onwards. At this event we will be using the Neighbourhood Watch trailer which we are borrowing from The Vale of Glamorgan Neighbourhood Watch Association. On friday 21st June I will be manning the trailer at Tesco Extra, Western Avenue between 10.00am and 4.00pm in the main car park so, if you are available to visit any of these events please come along and have a chat, you will be more than welcome.

Our next General Meeting will be held on 28th May, 2013 and our guest speaker will be Mr Alan Michael, South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner. As I write this I am still awaiting confirmation regarding the venue of this meeting so I will arrange for posters and e-mails to be produces to give final details. If you are not a member of a Watch Group but are interested in Neighbourhood Watch please come along as we would love to see you there.

If you are interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Watch in your area please call our office on 02920 527310 and leave your details or send an e-mail to contact@cardiffnhw.org.uk

Alternatively contact your local neighbourhood policing team.