We run an active and well-established Neighbourhood Watch to protect the quality of life in our community. The Beech Parish Council funds our activities. The Watch has received an award from the Hampshire Police for our innovative approach and we are cited by the Police as an exemplar on running a Neighbourhood Watch. We have good support and involvement from our local police force.
The main objective of the Watch is communication to help the Police apprehend felons and to prevent crime in the village. Our aim is to create an atmosphere where villagers feel safe and secure but are alert and responsive to any potential threats so that villains do not see Beech as an easy option.
We have 14 local coordinators that meet twice a year and each coordinator liases with the houses in their localities. We have the majority of the houses in the village signed up to the Watch, keeping residents contact details secure on our database. Our methods of communication are by the occasional letter, phone and word of mouth, but our preferred method is by Email as we reach people very efficiently. If you wish to participate in the Watch then we would be pleased to receive your Email address. We have a very strict rule that contact information will not be used for any other purpose than for the Watch and in no circumstances will contact details be released to a third party.
The Beech Village Neighbourhood Watch depends on communication and networking. We have direct contact with the police, enabling us to communicate alerts and information to each of the coordinators. They, in turn feed this information into their areas. Coordinators also feed back information from their areas for the police to check on any suspicious characters and any sinister events. Over the years we have enjoyed some success in assisting the police to keep our village safe. We must be alert to protect our property and personal security.
The success of networking information is everyone’s concern. We need to be alert, stay in contact with neighbours and report suspicious events to police and a Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator.
Colin Britchford