On retiring three years ago Ian Baldry from West Mercia decided to resurrect the Neighbourhood Watch scheme for Fladbury village where he lives which is located within Wychavon District Council in the County of Worcestershire. His aim was specifically to make Fladbury NHW a "Flagship" scheme for others to follow. He is pleased to say that three years later Fladbury now has the largest membership within West Mercia.In addition through the support of the local police and Elliot Nixon who is the Community Safety Officer for Wychavon and Malvern Hills District Councils an additional 7 villages within Wychavon District Council have established their own Neighbourhood Watch schemes.
When establishing Fladbury Neighbourhood Watch Ian had absolutely no idea of the very positive support that was available through his District Safety Officer Elliot Nixon.In his role as a Community Safety Officer Elliot acts as point of liaison between the Neighbourhood Watch schemes within his two District areas of responsibility. Hazard a guess Ian suspected that many members of NHW are not aware of the role played by District Community Safety Officers in supporting NHW. Ian is aware that not all District Safety Officers within England and Wales actually closely liaise with their local NHW schemes but many do.
As they all came out of the wretched lockdown following the Covid pandemic Ian suggested to Elliot that it would be really useful if he went and prepared a briefing note for the NHW schemes within his area advising the members of what has been happening locally during lockdown in terms of criminal activity and what members should be alert to once we move back into the world of normality!. The content of his briefing note was very well received. Letters of congratulations were sent to him from the Police and Crime Commissioner for West Mercia,the local Member of Parliament for Mid Worcestershire Nigel Huddleston plus the Chairman of Wychavon District Council.Well deserved.