A COLLABORATIVE effort to encourage residents to sign up to the police’s information service has been launched across West Mercia.
Neighbourhood Watch are supporting the force to to generate awareness of Neighbourhood Matters, a community messaging service which creates a line of communication with local police.
Through the service, the public can receive updates on their local policing Safer Neighbourhood Teams and more.
To showcase the service, members from all interested parties met at Wychavon District Council’s Civic Centre on Friday, May 3.
In attendance was Wychavon’s chairman, councillor Robert Raphael, Mid Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston, representatives of Neighbourhood Watch and West Mercia Police officers.
The awareness campaign aims to start generating understanding of the service in Wychavon before focusing efforts across wider Worcestershire and the West Mercia policing region.
Ian Baldry, Neighbourhood Watch West Mercia said: ”We are supporting West Mercia Police by initially focusing on Wychavon.
“I am very confident the rest of West Mercia will come on board very quickly following media publicity.”
Mr Huddleston said:
”As a registered member of Neighbourhood Matters I am delighted to be associated with this initiative.
“It has fantastic potential in bringing our local businesses and communities closer to their local police officers in helping to combat crime.
“The more people who are registered then the more effective this service becomes. I would encourage all law abiding citizens to get on board and register.”
Sgt Cath Atkinson, West Mercia Police said:
”Our Safer Neighbourhood Teams in Wychavon are dedicated to making Neighbourhood Matters a success.
“The feedback from registered members has been very positive. Anyone can register,and you don’t have to be part of a Neighbourhood Watch scheme.”
Chairman of Wychavon District Council, Coun Raphael said:
”I am confident that all of my fellow District Councillors will actively support the promotion of Neighbourhood Matters when liaising with their respective town and parish councils.
“We definitely want this to be a success.”
Visit https://www.neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk/ for more information.
