April/May - The Greets Green Partnership Legacy Website

SPECIAL CRIME & COMMUNITY SAFETY FEATURENeighbourhoodWatch – couldyou make adifference?The first Neighbourhood Watchscheme in Greets Green has beenlaunched in Mason Street andothers are now also starting to beset up.Supporting the schemes is a key priorityfor the local Police. Sgt Tim Donovansaid: “We’re paying special attentionto Neighbourhood Watch areas to givethem more reassurance and showthem they can make a difference.“A lot of residents are already doing90 per cent of what NeighbourhoodWatch involves, working in littlecommunity groups and keeping an eyeout for each other. We’re asking them togo the next step and set up a scheme.“We’ve found that NeighbourhoodWatch schemes discourage anti-socialand criminal behaviour becauseresidents report it and we’re able todo something about it.“Residents are given help to securetheir property as well as theirneighbours’ and a direct line to thePolice Station so when they ring, theywill get someone who knows the area.Conference successMore than 100 people attended aconference in Greets Green whichlooked at the impact of drugs andalcohol on individuals, families andthe community.The majority of people invited to theCommunity Development Sandwell’s21st conference were health workersfrom Sandwell, but some residents andGreets Green Partnership Boardmembers also went along.Phil Hartley, Crime & Community SafetyTheme Leader, said: “The conferencewas designed to inform staff about theinnovative work being done in the GreetsGreen area around substance misuse andto let them know about the services beingdelivered in Sandwell.“The aim was to enable those attendingto be better able to direct clients withdrugs and alcohol issues to theappropriate services.”Delegates heard speakers from SandwellPrimary Care Trust, Workwell and WestMidlands Police, and gained a sneakpreview of the Greets Green drugs andalcohol DVD. They also heard poetrywhich addressed substance misuse,saw a theatre production which exploredalcohol misuse and were able to trycomplementary therapies used in drugsand alcohol treatment.Phil added: “The conference was welldelivered and well received. All thefeedback has been very positive.”The conference was funded by GreetsGreen Partnership and was a joint venturebetween the Health and CommunitySafety themes. It formed part of theGreets Green Drugs and Alcohol ActionPlan 2005 – 2010.To find out more call Phil Hartleyat Greets Green Partnership onfreephone 0800 953 0215.“You also get peace of mind knowing thatwhile you’re away there’s someone lookingout for your property. With NeighbourhoodWatch you come together as a group andthere’s strength in numbers.”If you would like to know moreabout Neighbourhood Watch,contact Helene Elder, CommunityPartnerships Officer at WestMidlands Police on 0845 113 5000ext 7911 6879.6Greets Green Magazine April/May 2008