RUSHMOOR
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
ASSOCIATION

Bringing neighbours together to create strong, friendly, active communities.

The Rushmoor Neighbourhood Watch Association (RNWA) is a collaboration between the Police, Rushmoor Borough Council (Safer Rushmoor) and the residents of Rushmoor.

Our purpose is to set-up and maintain Neighbourhood Watch schemes which help residents to be neighbourly and active in their communities. We strongly support the mission and vision of the National Neighbourhood Watch Network, which is:

"Our aim is to bring neighbours together to create strong, friendly, active communities where crime and anti-social behaviour are less likely to happen.

Our vision is that of a caring society that is focused on trust and respect in which people are safe from crime and enjoy a good quality of life. Neighbourhood Watch is about making sure that fewer people feel afraid, vulnerable or isolated in the place where they live"

Structure and Governance

An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) was called 3rd January 2018 to reinvigorate the stagnating RNWA.
The following motions were passed:

Establish a Steering Committee.
To operate Neighbourhood Watch Schemes in Rushmoor at a local level ideally by each of the 13 Wards forming a local group known as a Community Forum which allows representation from the local Neighbourhood Watch members, local Councillors, Police and Rushmoor Borough Council representatives, and any other agency necessary to deal with local neighbourhood issues.
Amend the RNWA Constitution accordingly. Note: Version 3 of the RNWA Constitution was published and agreed by the NW membership in March 2018

Goals and Aims

To reduce the opportunity for crime and the fear of crime in the community
To improve communications between Rushmoor residents, Rushmoor Borough Council & the Police.
To Help the Police in their roles of: Crime prevention, Crime detection and Resolution.
To alert the Police and other community services to Community problems such as anti-social behaviour, poor street lighting, paths, etc.
Encourage neighbours to develop a local community where they keep an eye out for and report unusual events in their area.

Schemes

A neighbourhood Watch Scheme is a group of residents or neighbours. It can be as few as 5 or 6 homes or as many as 100 or more - it just depends on the layout of the street and how the residents wish to organise themselves. One resident is elected to be the Scheme Coordinator. Residents can join or set-up a scheme using the National Neighbourhood Watch Network website: ourwatch. Please also see "Neighbourhood Watch in Rushmoor" (below).

Association

Rushmoor Neighbourhood Watch Association consists of a committee of volunteers, set-up to encourage the formation of Neighbourhood Watches and to provide support to help them flourish. Communication between the Association committee and the individual watches is via email, and Hampshire Alert.

Community Forums

Within the Association it is considered good practice to set-up groups of watches into what is known as Local Neighbourhood Watch Community Forums. In Rushmoor these Forums are normally based on the ward structures. Forums mainly consist of Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators/members, residents, Local Councillors and any other organisations which may have an interest in the community.

Police Beats

Police beat structures in Rushmoor are based on Community areas and can cover more than one ward:

Police Beat Wards
Aldershot North Wellington, Rowhill
Aldershot South Manor Park, Aldershot Park, North Town

Farnborough North Fernhill, Cherrywood
Farnborough West Cove & Southwood, St. John's, West Heath
Farnborough Central Empress
Farnborough South Knellwood, St. Mark's

Communications and Guidance

Whilst RNWA Neighbourhood Watch coordinators will generally provide a communications channel between the community, the council and the police; members of the community should continue to deal with these agencies as they need.The coordinators are able to provide advanced warning of any problems that are detected and of course, it works the other way; the coordinators meet the agencies on a regular basis, via local Forums and Police Community Beat meetings. Communication is at the heart of Neighbourhood Watch, and Hampshire Alert is an effective tool for getting information from the Police and RNWA to members.

For anyone seeking guidance on aspects of how Neighbourhood Watch works, they should visit the excellent website of the National NW Network: ourwatch. This website has a host of information and tools to help you start/join a Neighbourhood Watch, how to keep it running and how to be an effective Coordinator. It has information about Crime, Burglary, Scams, Child Exploitation, Modern Slavery, Violence, Domestic Abuse, Loneliness, etc. and regularly provides other news and ideas from Neighbourhood Watch schemes across England and Wales.

Neighbourhood Watch in Rushmoor

If you are interested in setting-up or joining a NW scheme in Rushmoor, or just want to register then please visit National NW Network: ourwatch. Please also contact RNWA membership Secretary for guidance and help. The RNWA membership Secretary can register your scheme with the police, Issue a scheme ID and advise you on matters such as signage for your scheme, linking up with your Area Coordinator, etc....

For more information please contact any of the following: Membership@RNWA.org.uk, Secretary@RNWA.org.uk, Chairman@RNWA.org.uk.

Finally, Rushmoor is a relatively low crime area. Let's keep in that way.
Remember: "Crime cannot flourish in a community that cares".

Find your local scheme

RUSHMOOR NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH ASSOCIATION