The Junior Neighbourhood Watch scheme is run as an after-school programme at primary schools across Stockton. It originally started with just two groups and is now taking place in many of the town’s schools.
Meetings take place every three weeks and last just over an hour. They bring together important crime and safety advice, teaching important crime and safety issues and the role of the emergency services in the community.
Members are taught personal safety awareness and are encouraged to watch out for the more vulnerable members of the public – including any elderly neighbours. They are also shown how to keep their property safe and how to security mark family belongings.
Activities in the programme also include; visits from the Cleveland Police mounted and dogs divisions and the Police Air Operations Units, as well as fire safety talks from Cleveland Fire Service.
Each session the groups follow key topics relating to crime and safety. Some of the areas covered include the use of mobile phones whilst driving, fire safety, the problem of malicious 999 calls and the dangers of the internet.
Fun and interactive sessions also take place, for example, to illustrate the dangers of drink driving the members take part in a computer simulated driving game played wearing ‘beer goggles’ to distort their vision and illustrate the dangers of drinking while under the influence of drink or drugs.
The Junior Neighbourhood Watch scheme is funded by donations from local businesses and is always seeking additional support in order to deliver the programme to more schools in the area. If you wish to support the scheme or are interested in setting up a group in your school please contact Sam Gibbons on 01642 302341.
For more informtation please visit http://www.jnhw.co.uk/
Photos below courtesy of the Evening Gazette
