ChairmanReport0708

PANWA Chairman's Report 2007-2008

This has been my second year as Chair of the Association and I believe that we have continued to make progress. We are recognised as one of the multi-agency partners in the EHDC Community Partnership, we have maintained our close ties with Hampshire Constabulary, and we play an active part in the Hampshire Neighbourhood Watch Association where I am currently the Vice Chair.

Our organisation consists of 145 watch schemes divided into 15 geographical areas, Buriton, East Meon, Froxfield, Hill Brow, Liss, Liss Forest, Petersfield, Privett, the new Ramshill development, Ramsdean, Sheet, Steep, Steep Marsh, Stroud and Weston. These are split into 20 pyramid charts and all told we have 212 co-ordinators and deputies. We have gained 12 watches during the year with another 8 changing their co-ordinators. My thanks to those where there has been a smooth changeover but it is not always possible to find replacements and 3 watches have been lost.

We try hard to make the quarterly newsletters as informative and useful as possible; these now reach a staggering 4,000 households so our thanks are due to you for your efforts in delivering these. Distributing 4,000 'PLEASE DO NOT COLD CALL' stickers for your members to display on their front doors was a key project this year. We know that this has had an immediate response and we will continue to support you on this.

Although our movement continues to expand steadily, and our lamp post signs and window stickers serve the twin purpose of deterrence as well as advertising our presence, we should still very much like to recruit to our management committee anyone with experience in the field of public relations. In particular we urgently need someone to manage our website and appeal for a volunteer to come forward and help us out with this important modem facility.

I feel sure there is a spirit of good neighbourliness in the places we cover. We do still have the iowest crime rate anywhere in the Hampshire Constabulary area and I would like to think that our efforts contribute to these low figures. My special thanks to the police station volunteers who help keep us all so well informed. And finally my thanks to you, the loyal co-ordinators and deputies who work together to reduce crime and the fear of crime, and help to strengthen and develop our local communities, thank you for what you do for your neighbours.

Please do try and come to the AGM if at all possible. Help me and my committee members to make 2008 - 2009 a good year, with even less crime and may we see many more watches added to our association with many new friendships formed.

With best wishes
Jane Hoolahan, PANWA Chairman