A bit of a mixed bag message today:
DARK NIGHTS, COVID CHANGES, SCAMMER ALERTS
Dark nights – as the clock changes soon, and dark nights really fall on us, have you looked through those amongst your neighbours and friends who will be battening down the hatches and curtains, and staying indoors for many more hours in the day / night?
Have you actually SEEN the vulnerable person in your street / road in the last few days? Are your group co-ordinators in a position to call and ask if they are ok, need any extra assistance, have they applied for the winter fuel allowance if able to qualify? Have they applied for the married couples allowance? Either of these if gained could assist with costs for food and heating during the season of dark nights, and may be able to finance that security light that would deter the changer burglar who roam streets during darker nights?
- Potential Covid 19 tier changes? – If changes are made, can all of the people in your group area cope with higher restrictions? Would it make shopping a harder task for them – do they need help from outside of their neighbours, friends or relatives circle? Is there anything that the Neighbourhood network and associated partner groups could offer to them going forward? Will anyone living alone feel more remote and alone, and could they benefit from some form of befriending service where they could receive a call or chat to talk through ongoing problems. Please remember that people can build up a personal mental health problem just by feeling isolated and alone.
- Sadly, those who wish to take your money by false pretences, or bad services, will use this time to upgrade their tactics, and it may be that that cold call knock will happen when the dark nights are here – they have no respect for you, your property, your neighbours, in fact, anyone, as long as they are lining their pockets with your money. Please stay in focus with Karl’s weekly scam updates on the NHW website – loads of really good information relating to scams, and also new methods of cold calling for un-needed repairs.
Still here at the end of the phone or via e mail for any update advice – you also all have the opportunity to set up private NHW group chats within the NHW website for quick alerts and taking in new police advice or alerts. Contact Karl to get set up on the site.
Don’t forget www.immobiliser.com – put all of your valuables onto their registration site. You may never be burgled but pickpockets and thieves in hotels could strike when you are unprepared for self-protection. Registering your goods with serial numbers, descriptions, photos etc will greatly help any potential investigation in the worst case scenario.
Are you and all of your group members signed up for My Community Alert?
If not, why not? – a quick and direct method of receiving pertinent local warnings of crime or anti-social behaviour is occurring in your neighbourhood.
That’s it for this week – stay safe and well, please stay in contact with everyone, and alert us if help is needed!