Friday, 30 October 2009 09:06

Neighbourhood Policing Teams across North Downs Division are organising a host of events and activities to support Not in My Neighbourhood Week (NIMNW) - a dedicated week of activity to raise public awareness of the work being done by local agencies to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

NIMNW runs from November 2nd to 6th and aims to reassure residents that the issues which matter most to them are being addressed by the police and their partnership agencies. Another key aim is to encourage the public to get involved with the wide range of initiatives which take place in their area throughout the year.

In Mid Sussex District officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams and representatives from partner agencies will be visiting Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and East Grinstead to offer help and advice. The NIMNW roadshows will be at:
Tesco, Burgess Hill, from 8am to 2pm on Tuesday 3rd November (NIMNW)
Sainsbury’s, Haywards Heath, from 3pm to 6pm on Tuesday 3rd November (NIMNW)
Sainsbury’s, East Grinstead, from 2.30pm to 6pm on Wednesday 4th November (NIMNW)

During the same week, there will also be an emphasis on 'Be Safe, Be Seen' - a safety campaign for those who share our roads. As the nights draw in and mornings are still dark, cyclists, motorcyclists, horse riders using the roads, and young pedestrians are more vulnerable, as they are less visible to motorists. The focus of this campaign is to encourage people to wear something bright and reflective, and to take extra care when on or near roads. Visit www.sussexsaferroads.gov.uk. PCSO Mitchell will be available with an incident vehicle at the following locations to chat to cyclists and others about the importance of being seen by motorists, and to give away high visibility merchandise and safety leaflets.

Burgess Hill railway station, from 5pm to 7pm, on Friday 6th November (Be Safe, Be Seen)
Central Sussex College (TBC) at Haywards Heath, from 2pm to 4 pm, on Friday 6th November  (Be Safe, Be Seen)
East Grinstead Fire station, from 7am to 10am, on Saturday 7th November  (Be Safe, Be Seen)

Activities in Horsham include community consultations and information events:
Thursday 29th October - Swan Walk Shopping Centre, Horsham, 8am - 3pm (NIMNW)
Friday 30th October - Sainsbury's Supermarket, Worthing Road, Horsham, 10am - 3pm (NIMNW)
Tuesday 3rd November - Horsham railway station, 7am to 10am (Be Safe, Be Seen)
Saturday 7th November - Hilliers Garden Centre, Brighton Road, Horsham  9am - 3pm (NIMNW)
A joint agency day of action, named Operation Beatsweep, will take place in Horsham town centre on Wednesday 4th November, with the aim of addressing local residents concerns.

In Crawley, the wide range of activities (in what has been named locally as Safer Crawley Week) includes:
A youth night for 11 to 19 year olds at K2, on Friday 6th November (and every subsequent Friday) between 8pm and 10pm.

Guests can try their hand at various activities e.g. dance workshops, climbing wall, basketball and football. West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service will run a rescue display at the event. Sussex Police Authority runs a Safer Neighbourhood Grants Scheme that gives community projects the chance to apply for funding for projects that will serve their local community.

The Crawley K2 project is a great example of the scheme providing funding for a project that will help keep kids in Crawley safe on a Friday night.
Bewbush County Primary School will be hosting a community safety event from 2.30pm to 5pm on Monday 2nd November.

A scheme to deter unscheduled callers to your door (No Cold Calling Zone), will launch in conjunction with WSCC Trading Standards in The Twittens West Green at 10.30 am on Tuesday 3rd November.
Crawley Neighbourhood Watch representatives will be attending most events to offer advice and information on membership and crime prevention.

Additionally, a Be Safe, Be Seen roadshow in Crawley will happen on Wednesday 4th November between 7am and 10am, on Southgate Avenue (near Southgate playing fields, opposite the Arora Hotel) .

Assistant Chief Constable Robin Merrett said: “The key message from Sussex Police is that there is a dedicated Neighbourhood Policing Team working in your neighbourhood to keep you safe. They serve Sussex by working with local people and communities to identify and address local concerns.

"NIMNW is a great opportunity to demonstrate the work being done across Sussex throughout the year by a wide range of partners to reduce crime, anti-social behaviour and substance misuse. These activities are happening week in and week out to help ensure local communities are safe and feel safe."

To find out about the NIMNW activities taking place in your area you can visit the Sussex Police website - www.sussex.police.uk. Just type in your post code to find who your local officers are, how you can contact them and what they are doing to serve your neighbourhood.