Dozens sign up for Black Country neighbourhood watch scheme
More than 180 community-spirited people have signed up to join a neighbourhood watch in the Black Country to help make their area a safer place.
Tame Bridge Neighbourhood Watch was set up in October last year following concerns over a rise in incidents including burglaries and car crime.
And it has since blossomed with 66 new residents signing up to the scheme – taking the total to 186 – after a successful first public event in the area.
It was held on May 16 in Tame Bridge, on the Walsall and Sandwell border, to increase awareness of the watch – and to encourage people to join.
And around 200 people of all ages and backgrounds turned out to speak with coordinators, police and council representatives, at the special event.
Sharie Kaur, lead co-ordinator for both Tame Bridge Neighbourhood Watch and Street Watch, said: “We are absolutely delighted with how our first public event went and to have so many people sign up to join our Neighbourhood Watch is fantastic.
“It was wonderful to speak to residents and to see them engaging with one another, especially those meeting for the first time. The response has been overwhelming and it has been a huge boost for the estate at a time where frustrations are high and morale is low. It showed there is a truly great community spirit here and people really do care about what’s going on and want to see change.
“I would like to thank our kind donors, West Midlands Police, Sandwell Council, Rushall Shelfield Pelsall Brownhills Neighbourhood Watch, local residents, and our amazing volunteers for their input in making today a success and making Tame Bridge an even better place to live.”
The estate, overall, has been split into six zones to make it more manageable and WhatsApp groups have been set up – ensuring residents are informed of any suspicious activitiy taking place. Tame Bridge Street Watch co-ordinators also pound the streets daily to provide a visible presence and reassurance for the community.
People can find out more about Tame Bridge Neighbourhood Watch and Street Watch by emailing TamebridgeWS5@outlook.com or by following them on Facebook and Twitter (Tame Bridge NW).
