This year marks the 40th anniversary of Neighbourhood (Home) Watch’s launch in Mollington, Cheshire in 1982. To mark this achievement, Cheshire Constabulary and Cheshire Neighbourhood Watch Association (CNWA) hosted a celebration event which took place at Vale Royal Abbey on Saturday 18 June.
Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators, Assistant Chief Constable Bill Dutton and the Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer were among some of the attendees. The day got underway with a formal welcome from Julia Griffiths, the Chair of CNWA, before contributions from John Hayward-Cripps the CEO of the Neighbourhood Watch Network (the national body), followed by Bill Dutton and John Dwyer talking about the Special Relationship between Cheshire Constabulary and Neighbourhood Watch.
Afternoon tea was then served to the attendees. A short film about Neighbourhood Watch in Cheshire was played for the attendees. Heather Thompson from the CNWA then led the CNWA annual awards ceremony.
Helen Bennett was awarded for her services to the public, Sarah Harrison won Cheshire’s Neighbourly Neighbour award and the Cheshire Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator award went to Dave Nixon. Jeff Broadley was awarded the Cheshire Neighbourhood Watch Lifetime Achievement which was a special category for this year available to past and present Coordinators.
To conclude the successful afternoon, a certificate of appreciation was given to the late Harold Cooper who was the first Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator in the UK and Graham Andrews, who was a sergeant at the time, was also recognised for his contributions at the beginning of Neighbourhood (Home) Watch in Cheshire.
Assistant Chief Constable Bill Dutton said: “It was a great celebration event to be a part of and everyone involved in the Cheshire Neighbourhood Watch Association can be proud of what is a joint effort to make Cheshire’s communities safe for everyone.
“Neighbourhood Watch is growing in Cheshire and it goes beyond securing the neighbourhood, it is about building community spirit in all areas of Cheshire, and we want to continue to grow.”
Police and Crime Commissioner John Dwyer said: "Neighbourhood Watch began in Cheshire and I was delighted to be able to celebrate 40 years of neighbours looking out for each other and working with the police to protect their community.
"Congratulations to all of the award winners. I look forward to seeing Neighbourhood Watch go from strength to strength in the place where it all started."
Get involved with Cheshire Neighbourhood Watch
Cheshire Neighbourhood Watch Association are actively looking for people to become Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators. If you feel that you could spare a little time to become a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator and you would like to find out more, you can visit www.cheshirenw.org or email cheshirenw@outlook.com.