Commissioner’s funding will help Neighbourhood Watch support victims

Victims of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and burglary in Peterborough will soon be supported by Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) co-ordinators, thanks to a £2,500 grant from Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

Sir Graham Bright has made the money available to Peterborough’s Neighbourhood Watch to enable its co-ordinators to access bespoke training to support victims of burglary and ASB and to reduce the fear of substance misuse on communities.

Sir Graham said: “Having already provided funding to introduce Neighbourhood Alert – a system which allows Neighbourhood Watch and the police to communicate more effectively with communities to both tackle and prevent crime – I was looking for some really innovative ideas to help Neighbourhood Watch grow to play their part in making our communities safer.

“I committed to supporting Neighbourhood Watch to increase its membership and asked them to step up with some initiatives that would broaden their role for the benefit of their communities. Peterborough’s proactive and innovative approach is exactly what I was looking for and I am very pleased to be able to help them support victims of burglary and ASB – two of my priority areas.”

Alan Paul, Chairman of Peterborough Neighbourhood Watch said: “The grant is to help with co-ordinator training. The course will be held on 28 June with over 12 members coming along. It will really help increase confidence and the skills for my members. The support from Sir Graham will make a big difference for Peterborough people, especially in the long term.”

The grant will also be used to fund displays for use in locations that are open to the public to help raise the organisation’s profile. It will support NHW to work with other partner organisations in the promotion of community safety, linking in with the police in targeted responses to burglaries and other crimes which can have a negative impact on communities across the city.