Neighbourhood Watch Network A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents Working in partnership with:
We have compiled this handbook to give you, the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator, a practical reference guide for both you and your members. We hope it provides answers to some of the queries that might arise while you are running your scheme. Neighbourhood Watch — sometimes still referred to as Home Watch — is the same organisation. Some areas historically used different names, but Greater Manchester has now adopted Neighbourhood Watch for all new schemes, in line with the National Neighbourhood Watch Network. NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Neighbourhood Watch is a valued grassroots voluntary movement, helping to build stronger communities, prevent crime, and strengthen local resilience and community spirit. Everyone in the community plays a part in creating safer neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood Watch works in partnership with the police — locally, regionally, and nationally — to reduce opportunities for crime and support community wellbeing. Members and police support one another to create an environment where people feel safe, connected, and confident in their area. It is the individual members who make any scheme successful. Neighbourhood Watch belongs to its members — not to the police — and each Coordinator’s enthusiasm helps others to get involved. Sharing responsibilities among members ensures that everyone feels valued and that the scheme remains active and sustainable. THE AIMS OF NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH The Neighbourhood Watch Network (NWN) is the national umbrella organisation for all Neighbourhood Watch groups, and is the largest voluntary movement in the UK, representing over 2.3 million volunteers across England and Wales. The aim of the Neighbourhood Watch Network is to: "bring neighbours together to create strong, friendly, active communities where crime and anti-social behaviour are less likely to happen" Neighbourhood Watch is about making sure that fewer people feel afraid, vulnerable or isolated in the place where they live. 2 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
The objectives of the Neighbourhood Watch Network are as follows: Vision: ‘For a caring, cohesive, resilient society that is founded upon trust and respect, where the prevention of crime and anti-social behaviour is understood and embedded within communities’ Mission: ‘To enable communities to work together with other agencies to identify and meet the needs of their communities, to ensure that they are resilient and to help provide a protective safety net for those members who are vulnerable and at risk of harm’ Values: ‘To be credible, accountable, transparent, caring, realistic, inclusive, sustainable and independent’ THE ROLE OF THE COORDINATOR As a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator, your role is to: • • • • • • • • Contact households in their chosen scheme area to invite and support them to become members Act as a key point of contact to receive and cascade information between scheme members, other local coordinators and partners, where relevant Manage scheme administration, ensuring scheme and membership information is registered in line with local policy and kept up-to-date Signpost members with community safety issues to the most appropriate organisation Encourage reporting of suspicious and/or criminal incidents to the police Promote personal responsibility for community safety by encouraging members to improve home and personal security Promote neighbourliness by encouraging members to share crime reduction information and keep an eye on each others’ homes and possessions, giving special consideration to vulnerable neighbours. Support police and other agencies to identify local issues and solve problems where there are community concerns. 3 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
As a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator or member, you are not expected to become a vigilante group, patrol the streets, or put yourself in any danger. You are not a replacement police service. Your members can contact you to inform you about incidents when appropriate, but they should always contact the police in an emergency. You can get help and advice from your local area coordinator. Your area lead or Local Association will help to set up a meeting with them if required. If you can no longer continue as the Coordinator, you must inform your area contact or Local Association. You should encourage someone from within your scheme to take over if possible. If this is not possible, your scheme will no longer be officially registered, and members may compromise their insurance if they received a discount because they belonged to a scheme. THE ROLE OF A MEMBER Neighbourhood Watch members play a vital role in keeping their community safe and connected. Members are encouraged to stay aware of what’s happening locally and to work together in a positive, supportive way. They are not expected to police their neighbourhood, but to work with the police and partners as vigilant, community-minded residents. Members are asked to: • Support the Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator • Report suspicious and/or criminal incidents to the police • Take personal responsibility for community safety by taking steps to improve your home and personal security (and share safety and security information to your friends and family) • Be a good neighbour (share crime reduction information and keep an eye on each other's homes and possessions, giving special consideration to vulnerable neighbours) • Support police and other agencies to identify local issues and solve problems where there are community concerns The Neighbourhood Watch logo and name are trademarked and must not be used without permission, nor edited, used out of context, or inappropriately. Neighbourhood Watch members and volunteers can use our logo if they are: registered as a volunteer or scheme with a Neighbourhood Watch Association, Neighbourhood Watch Network, or a local Neighbourhood Watch database, AND approved by their local Neighbourhood Watch Association or by Neighbourhood Watch Network. Please contact NWN to request permission to use our logo if you are an individual, corporate or not-forprofit organisation, who is not a member or partner of Neighbourhood Watch. Note: NO individuals and companies are allowed to use the logo for personal profit. 4 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
As a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator, it is useful to keep a list of all members’ contact details, including telephone numbers and email addresses. These details must be stored securely and used only for Neighbourhood Watch purposes, in line with current data protection legislation and using a lawful basis such as consent or legitimate interests. As a Coordinator, you may receive information from your local Association, Area Coordinator, or Greater Manchester Police (GMP). Pass this on to your members promptly. Sharing updates helps members feel involved and encourages them to share information and ideas with you in return. When you talk to your neighbours, ask for their opinions about how to improve the area. It might be possible to work together on better lighting, removing graffiti, or tidying shared spaces — all of which make your neighbourhood less attractive to criminals. Set yourself achievable targets. Don’t try to do everything at once. When you achieve a goal, celebrate it with your group, then set another. Small, visible wins keep motivation high and show progress to residents. Social media tools such as Facebook, WhatsApp, or Nextdoor are an excellent way to communicate and share updates. Even if you don’t meet in person regularly, you can use online groups to discuss issues, share safety information, and support one another. Just remember to keep messages respectful and avoid posting personal details or unverified information. SCHEMES WHICH PROSPER AND THRIVE The following good practices help Neighbourhood Watch schemes to succeed: • • • • • • • • • • Develop good relationships with the police and other agencies. Encourage social activity as well as crime prevention. Help to improve the local environment. Build a strong community spirit — meet and talk regularly. Follow crime-reduction advice. Care for and support each other. Engage with local schools and governors. Promote community litter-pick initiatives. Take part in the Community Speed Watch scheme where possible. Understand the importance of the community taking shared responsibility for reducing crime in their area. 5 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
Make sure everyone feels welcome in your group. If you have concerns about a vulnerable neighbour, contact Bolton Council’s safeguarding team. Use inclusive language and avoid sharing personal details publicly. HANDY HINTS FOR CRIME PREVENTION As a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator or scheme member, it is useful to: • Get to Know Your Neighbours Build trust and communication to watch out for each other. • Join or Start a Neighbourhood Watch Community vigilance helps deter criminal activity. • Improve Outdoor Lighting Well-lit areas discourage trespassers and vandals. • Secure Doors and Windows Use quality locks and reinforce entry points. • Install Security Cameras Visible surveillance can deter criminals and aid investigations. • Report Suspicious Activity Prompt reporting helps authorities respond quickly. • Keep Your Property Maintained A tidy home signals active occupancy and care. • Limit Access to Your Property Use fences, gates, and signage to define boundaries. • Don’t Leave Valuables in Sight Keep items like bikes, tools, and electronics out of view. • Educate Children About Safety Teach them to stay alert and report anything unusual. • Use Timers for Lights When Away Create the illusion of occupancy to deter burglars. • Support Local Crime Prevention Initiatives Participate in community meetings and campaigns. 6 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
Further information on Neighbourhood Watch can be obtained from a number of sources including www.ourwatch.org.uk You can also contact your local association: Greater Manchester Neighbourhood Watch Association (Regional level) Chairman - Tony Moran tameside@gmnwa.com Vice Chairman – Neil McCall bolton@gmnwa.com Secretary – Dorothy Stoddard bury@gmnwa.com Treasurer – Ghulam Shahzad rochdale@gmnwa.com GMNWA Local [Borough] Representatives Clare Price clare@boltonneighbourhoodwatch.org Neil McCall neil@boltonneighbourhoodwatch.org Bolton Neighbourhood Watch Network (Local level) General Enquiries – info@boltonneighbourhoodwatch.org Committee Chris Abalain – Trustee chris@boltonneighbourhoodwatch.org Clare Price – Trustee clare@boltonneighbourhoodwatch.org Neil McCall – Trustee neil@boltonneighbourhoodwatch.org Chairman Secretary Treasurer Area Coordinator North Area Coordinator North Area Coordinator South Area Coordinator South Area Coordinator West Area Coordinator West Neighbourhood Watch uses Neighbourhood Alert to manage its schemes and to communicate with its members. Join Neighbourhood Watch for FREE by registering at https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/joinNW If you are registered with GMPs Bee In The Loop, you can join your local scheme by selecting Neighbourhood Watch as an Information Provider on your account home screen 8 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
To report an incident to the police: Emergency – Call 999 Use 999 when a crime is in progress, someone is in danger, there is a risk of injury, or serious damage to property is occurring. A good rule of thumb: if an immediate police response is crucial, dial 999. Non-Emergency – Call 101 or visit www.gmp.police.uk (LiveChat 24 ⁄ 7) Use this route for situations that do not require an immediate response, such as: • Reporting a crime that has already happened • Requesting crime-prevention advice • Providing information about crime in your area • Contacting local neighbourhood officers • Any other non-emergency matter LiveChat is recommended, but you can also submit a full report via www.gmp.police.uk. Bee in the Loop is a free, community-focused messaging service provided by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) that allows residents to receive tailored information about their local area, such as crime alerts, police appeals for information, crime prevention advice, and details on community events. It serves as a two-way communication system, using the Neighbourhood Alert platform, the same trusted system used by partners such as Get Safe Online and Action Fraud. This allows residents to receive verified information directly from GMP and other official organisations, tailored to their postcode area. Users can choose the types of updates they wish to receive and can reply to messages to share useful information with the police team. Register free at www.beeintheloop.co.uk If you are already a Neighbourhood Watch member, you can link your account by selecting “Greater Manchester Police” as an Information Provider in your Neighbourhood Watch profile. Bolton Neighbourhood Watch Association encourages all coordinators and members to sign up for Bee in the Loop so your schemes receive timely, verified updates from the police and community partners. 9 Bolton Neighbourhood Watch – A Handbook for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators and Area Residents
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