DARLINGTON’S rejuvenated Neighbourhood Watch Association continues to go from strength to strength and has been given a new home in the town’s police station.
When chairman Jim Allen took over the reins of the group in June, he pledged to steer it away from its traditional image of ‘curtain twitchers’ and promote its membership benefits to a younger generation.
A recruitment drive in the summer led to 1,000 people signing up and the group now boasts more than 2,500 members and has been given a new base at the main Darlington police station on St Cuthbert’s Way.
The association has also got involved with the Evolution organisation which brings together voluntary groups in Darlington and for the first time has joined the town’s snow patrol scheme which sees community volunteers help clear pathways in poor weather.
Mr Allen said: “We are in the process of modernising the association, getting it into the 21st century and away from the old image of curtain twitchers.
“It is working; we visited Darlington College in August and recruited 60-odd members that day and the majority were teenagers in their late teens. Young people are interested.”
The association now has more than 500 co-ordinators across the town and has been given the use of an office at Darlington police station where its monthly meetings will now be held.
The move came about after Chief Superintendent Andy Reddick heard that the association was sometimes unable to hold its meetings in its Gladstone Street room as other groups had priority over it.
Chief Supt Reddick said: “Neighbourhood Watch is something we really believe in in the Durham Constabulary.
“Effectively what it is doing is empowering the communities to look after themselves but also to work with us to prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.
“It undoubtedly reduces crime and anti-social behaviour, but the other thing it does is give people huge confidence in their communities; it brings communities together.
“We are very keen to do whatever we can work with the Neighbourhood Watch Association and its co-ordinators to help them.”
The association will hold the first of its meetings at the police station on November 21 at 6.30pm.
The next will be held on January 16, 2013, followed by meetings on the third Wednesday of every month.
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