Ryedale NHW Report for 2020-1
This report is written as we recognise the first anniversary of the Covid 19 Lockdown and acknowledge the number of neighbours and loved ones in our community who have succumbed to the ravages of this pandemic. We also should consider how we may provide continuing support for our neighbours whilst it continues. We should pause for a few minutes to reflect on our good fortune if it has not affected us directly and to continue to
Ryedale NHW covers a very large geographic area, in one of the two largest Police force areas in the UK and encompasses part of the North York moors as well as the four market towns of Helmsley, Kirkbymoorside, Malton/Norton and Pickering.
1. In the last year three of our long-standing town co-ordinators have stood down for family or personal reasons; they are: Gail Snowdon Malton and Norton, Evette Dadswell (Pickering) and Eric Dunscombe (kirkbymoorside).
All of them have provided excellent service and commitment both to residents and NHW for a number of years, for which we are greatly indebted. We have a substantial number of members and potential members residing in these towns who need our support and guidance and we badly need new volunteers to re-place our co-ordinators. If you reside in one of these towns and are interested in taking on the role, then please contact me for an informal discussion in the first instance. In addition we should look to include Ryedale’s 4th market town, Helmsley in our recruiting campaign! I will undertake to provide initial and on-going support to any new co-ordinator both with promotional material and meetings, virtual and face-to face (when permitted!).
2. Community Meetings: I attend several meetings throughout the year to represent our association:
2.1 Community Policing Team: I maintain regular direct contact with the Ryedale Community Policing Team led by Inspector Martin Dennison and under Covid constraints these have been conducted by ‘phone, e-mail or virtually using Zoom or M/S Teams.
2.2 Stronger Communities Ryedale and North York Moors: We continue to maintain contact with some 15 social care / support organisations who meet quarterly under the leadership of Paddy Chandler based at Ryedale House, Malton. We have regular discussions how NHW groups can support the elderly and vulnerable local residents in our community and if you are engaged in such work yourself it would be useful to feed that back to me for use as an example to encourage our colleagues to become involved. One of the forum members is the North Yorkshire CC Adult Learning and Skills Service who provide online training courses in a range of community-related skills including “How to Use M/S Teams” to conduct online meetings which I attended earlier this year together with two other co-ordinators. I negotiated a bespoke workshop for “Digital Security” but unfortunately we failed to attract sufficient numbers to make it viable. If you would like to develop your ability to protect your privacy and security on the devices you use such as PCs, tablets and mobile ‘phones then please contact me and I will seek another course. There is no charge for the course as it is centrally funded. You will need access to your own computer or tablet for about 2 hours.
3. Ryedale Equalities and Prevent Forum: This quarterly meeting is led and managed by Ryedale District Council under a statutory duty to manage Community Safety Partnerships to:
· Reduce reoffending
· Tackle crime and disorder
· Tackle antisocial behaviour
· Tackle alcohol and substance misuse
· Tackle any other behaviour, which has a negative effect on the local environment.
The Forum has a wide remit to monitor and address issues that increase community tensions including hate- crime incidents,
If you have concerns over issues or events within your community that may fall within the above categories then please contact me so we pass the information to the relevant agency for action and they can provide any necessary support and monitoring.
4. Social Media A number of local NHW groups have created their own local social media groups to exchange information relevant to watching out for neighbours using eg: Facebook, What’s App and Twitter. We do of course have our own Facebook page “RSWF” managed by our Administrator, Steve Law, and NY Police have their own page. If you are not a member please contact me or Steve Law for further information. . Also within the District Association two Areas, Scarborough and Hinderwell also have pages. They are a fast and direct means of messaging informally with neighbours and I would encourage you to create your own page (open or closed) for your own locality and of course let the rest of our members know so we can learn what goes on in your neck of the woods as well!
Peter French, Area Lead
Ryedale Neighbourhood Watch
22nd March 2021