Here in the Petersfield Area we like to encourage closer communities.

Some of the advantages of being in a Watch are:

• You can receive discounts with some insurance companies for house buildings and contents cover.
• The risk of burglary is reduced due to the deterrent effect of the window stickers and road signs.
• We have a phone system to notify co-ordinators of incidents occurring in the local area.
• We provide literature on keeping your home safe, and all the latest police advice leaflets.

The Aims of Neighbourhood Watch are:

• To help reduce the fear of crime.
• To help reduce crime (and the opportunity for crime).
• To encourage closer communities and good neighbourliness.

As a member all you are required to do is be vigilant and report any crime as soon as possible to the Police. You will receive a free welcome pack with stickers and information leaflets. To purchase street signs which cost around £26 - a small fee is requested of £1-£2 (dependant on participating house numbers).

A quarterly newsletter detailing what is happening in the Area and with the latest hints on home security, will be delivered (or e-mailed if requested) to you.

The police station is manned twice a week (Mon and Thurs 10am-12noon) and any incidents are notified to local co-ordinators by a phone pyramid system to pass information on to their watch. Please call if you have any further questions, or would like to offer your services.

Becoming a co-ordinator is not a very daunting task we live in a very low crime area, after the initial work of contacting your neighbours with one of our letters and gathering their contact details, it is just that once every quarter we would request you deliver a newsletter to those in your watch. If an incident does happen in your road then we would request that when you get the details passed from the police station that you pass this information on to others in your watch.

I hope you will offer your support to this scheme and let me know if you would like to offer your services or be included.

Yours faithfully
Jane Hoolahan