Welcome back to Weeknotes. After a break here’s my roundup of community safety news from the past few weeks. And remember that previous weekly editions of this news summary are online.
Community Safety related
We’re in Flood Action Week 2025 at the moment. (News article here). “In North East Lincolnshire approximately 37,000 properties are at risk of flooding from rivers and the sea, and approximately 800 properties are at risk of flooring from surface water.” Get prepared before it happens. “Flood Action Week: How Prepared Are You for Flooding?”
Operation Topaz is a seasonal initiative from Humberside Police focused on preventing and tackling antisocial behaviour, particularly around Halloween and Bonfire Night. As part of this VANEL helped print some No Trick or Treat posters for residents. Read about these and how to download or get a copy on nelwatch.
Key safes. What to consider when buying one. Some advice from the Police.
Need funding for a community safety project? The Community Safety Fund from the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner is currently open (round 7). Closing date is 3rd Nov so apply quickly. Info page here and guidelines here.
Last newsletter I mentioned mobile phone thefts. In London this is a huge issue but anyone walking with a mobile phone in their hand can be at risk. Ourwatch are running an awareness campaign around this. Read more here. If you can, please complete their survey too about mobile phone crime. They also have mobile phone advice pages here and here.
The Secured by Design website contains a wide range of useful advice guides covering everything from home security, cctv advice, shed safety and more. Read the guides here.
Bike safety. Stay safe and seen this winter.
Council relaunches scheme to help improve littered alleyways across borough.
Fire advice
It was National Burns Awareness day recently. Always an important message to share so read more here. If it’s not something you’ve thought much about, here’s more information about burns awareness.
Be Safe, Be Seen – Dark Nights 2025 awareness and some home fire safety advice
Warnings issued as Bonfire Night approaches. Trading Standards advice on fireworks. For your own safety, only use fireworks from recognised traders.
Scams related
Do you subscribe to the Which? Scam e-newsletters yet? They’re free and contain lots of vey useful tips. Here’s the latest online newsletter. You can sign up here.
There’s an uptick in WhatsApp scams yet again, so here’s some advice from Which?
Get Safe Online’s campaign for October is about getting back to basics. Visit Fraudwatch for a back to basics guide to staying safe online.
“6 signs your computer has been hacked – and what to do about it”
Neighbourhood Watch
Ourwatch has opened their applications process for new Community Grants. These are very small grants only available to formal Neighbourhood Watch Groups. All the info is here but if you’re thinking of applying please discuss with Karl at VANEL to ensure you are formally accredited as a group and will be eligible.
The National Neighbourhood Watch Conference (run by Ourwatch) took place online at the end of September. Very few coordinators from North East Lincolnshire were online, so if you missed it, Ourwatch have shared much of the information and many of the presentations online. Catch up with the event here.
And don’t forget to keep reading the regular Ourwatch e-newsletters. The October one is here.
If you’re a Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator and registered on the Ourwatch system, then you should start receiving their new ‘volunteer news’ email. It’s a new format version of their newsletter. Watch your inbox. And if you’re not on the system talk to Karl about what this means and how you can get registered properly.
VANEL and Karl are part of Humberwatch – the Force Area Association for Neighbourhood Watch across all of Humberside. We’ve just updated our information page on the Humberwatch website here. So if you’re interested in everything VANEL is doing with Community Safety, have a read.
Local initiatives
Sidney Sussex: VANEL are running community safety drop-ins with the local Policing team at our community hub at 82 Grimsby Road. Next drop in is 3rd December, but before that there will be a larger Community Safety event on 11th November, 10.30am-1.30pm at the hub. For your diary and early details online here.
Immingham: If you’ve got thoughts and ideas about how Immingham could be better – including community safety related issues, then pop along to the event on 24th at the Civic in Immingham to share them. Or complete the survey here.
South Ward. It’s been two years of Clear Hold Build (CHB) in Nunsthorpe and it seems to be making a difference. Article on NELC blog here. VANEL have been very involved and we’re working with residents and partners to get a long term South Together residents forum established as part of the Build phase of CHB.
Something to share?
If you have comments, feedback or content that you think should be included, please let me know.
Karl
Footnotes
WeekNotes 12 Friday 17th October 2025
By Karl Elliott, VANEL, NELwatch, HumberWatch
www.nelwatch.org.uk
www.vanel.org.uk
www.nelwatch.org.uk/neighbourstogether
part of Humber Watch Association
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