02/06/2026
Hello Neighbours,
And happy Neighbourhood Watch week! A time to bring neighbours together, and to celebrate the people who make a difference to our communities. We’ve packed and sent out dozens of Communi-Tea packs, but it’s not too late to get one from our shop, if you’re keen to host an event.
We would love to hear what you are doing in your area - it’s always a joy to share the incredible work going on across our amazing network. Tell us about your events here.
Highlights this month:
• Time to celebrate a volunteer or police officer who deserves recognition – our awards are open!
• There is a new crackdown on dodgy shops in town centres
• Long service awards in North Aldridge
• Knife robberies are down by a fifth according to new figures
• It’s a Fair Cop wins gold at the ARIA awards (the podcast Oscars!)
Nominate a volunteer or a police officer for an award!
Neighbourhood Watch volunteers are amazing, and we want to celebrate the brightest and best. Nominations for the volunteer recognition awards are now open, and you have until 5 July to enter. There are five categories five categories: Innovation and Reach, Crime Prevention, Community Health and Wellbeing, Young Volunteer Award, and the Special Recognition Award. Celebrate your favourite volunteers here. And find out about the police awards here.
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New high street unit set up in nationwide blitz on dodgy shops on high streets
Organised crime gangs operating across Britain’s high streets will be hit with a major police offensive in a new nationwide crackdown on dubious shops. Rogue barber shops, v**e stores, mini-marts and sweet shops linked to organised crime will face raids, closures and cash seizures under a new £30 million crackdown targeting money laundering, tax evasion, and illegal working over three years. Read the full story.
Patlock is the home security device that protects patio doors against forced entry. It’s easy to fit and remove, providing a visible deterrent, and peace of mind for homeowners. Patlock has partnered with Neighbourhood Watch for over 10 years, helping to reduce burglaries and improve neighbourhood security. During Neighbourhood Watch Week, members can save a further 10% and purchase a Patlock for only £38.25 by clicking here.
Volunteer spotlight: Dave Brown
Our data shows that ASB is consistently one of the biggest areas for concern amongst NW members. So, it is wonderful to see one of our coordinators, Dave Brown from Cheshire, making a real difference in his new build development. His work shows that one person can be a catalyst for positive change, across a community. What a great initiative, well done Dave!
Loneliness Awareness Week is coming soon
Hosted by Marmalade Trust, Loneliness Awareness Week runs from 15-21 June. It is the world's largest campaign to inspire conversations about loneliness and promote connection activities happening across the world. Loneliness can also makes people more vulnerable to crime, so the more we can do to reach out to our neighbours the safer they will be. Find out more and sign up on their website.
5 ways to keep everything safe
Unexpected events and bad news can be made worse if you are not prepared. It can make all the difference if you know where important documents are stored, and your family or trusted people can step in if something happens. Read advice on steps to keep vital information safe for when you need it most.
Neighbourhood Watch members can access Is Everything Safe, an application designed to help households stay organised, connected, and ready to support each other. Use offer code ‘OURWATCH’ to access the member discount here. (Ad)
Neighbourhood Guarantee to improve villages, towns and cities
Changes mean that communities are set to benefit from clear expectations around the level of public services they see in their area. Key issues that matter to local people, like cleaner streets, potholes and public services will come under a Neighbourhood Guarantee for the first time. People will also be able to monitor whether the guarantee is being met in their area through published data. Find out more.
Scheme spotlight: North Aldridge Neighbourhood Watch
North Aldridge recognised some of their longest serving supporters at their recent AGM. And we really mean long serving, they were recognising people who have been volunteering for over 10, 15, 20 and 25 years. That is so impressive. It is also probably the reason that the area is known for being a peaceful and clean area with friendly neighbours. What a fabulous team, we are so grateful for the amazing work you do!
SimpliSafe is celebrating Neighbourhood Watch Week!
To mark the occasion, we’re running a special, first-of-its-kind sale on our website this week (1st - 7th). During this time, everyone can get 45% off a SimpliSafe Security System, plus a free Bell Box included. Check out the sale here. Alongside this, we’ll be sharing fun, collaborative content across our social channels in celebration of the week - so keep an eye out! (Ad)
Knife robberies down by more than a fifth
New Home Office data shows that robberies involving a knife in the seven highest volume areas are now more than a fifth lower (21%) than they were in June 2024. Offences fell from 15,918 in summer 2024 to 12,633 by March 2026, meaning thousands fewer people experiencing the fear and financial impact of this violent crime. Read the full story here.
Alfie wins gold!
Massive congratulations to Alfie Moore – broadcaster and ex-police officer turned comedian - for winning a gold ARIA award. In case you don’t know what an ARIA is, they are essentially the podcast Oscars. We’re so delighted as we’ve been recording our own podcast with him over the last few weeks (launching soon!) so watch this space for news on that soon. Listen to an episode of the award-winning series here.
Play One Lottery and support Neighbourhood Watch
Did you know you could have a chance to win up to £25,000 each week with One Lottery. Every ticket helps to fund national projects, support volunteers and build safer communities across England and Wales. And for the last four weeks in a row, a lucky player has won more than £170. Play One Lottery here.
Scheme spotlight – Rosegrove
Rosegrove NW are always so innovative with the events and services that they do. In the last month they’ve hosted a sold-out Pride event, a mad science workshop for school children and a book nook crafting session. Whoever is coming up with these events is clearly a creative genius. Absolutely brilliant work and so much fun for the whole community!
Straw poll results
Thanks to everyone who filled in the straw poll on the frequency of the newsletter. 75% of you have asked us to share a shorter newsletter more often. Honestly, it came as a bit of a surprise, but a nice surprise! We’ll start working on how we can deliver that. We’re always trying to make our information better, so feedback is always welcome.
Best wishes
Charmian
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Join us 1-7 June 2026Every year we host Neighbourhood Watch week in the first week of June. It's a chance for Neighbourhood Watch members to come together, connect and take action. We host events, celebrate volunteers and recognise the police officers who go above and beyond for our neighbourhoods.
