Broughton fun day – july
The local policing team attended the Broughton fun day on the Solway Banks at the beginning of July 2009. The team gave out information/crime reduction leaflets, target hardening packs, children’s safety activity packs and other relevant information. The event was attended by a lot of residents and went down well with local youths as they had a look around the police van without being locked up!
Gaffneys gardening project – July
In July there was a gardening project organised by NACRO and youth workers at Gaffney’s youth club in Brynteg. The local policing team attended most weeks as under 16’s got a chance to improve the garden at the back of the youth club. At the end, the best ‘workers’ received a certificate at a small awards show and some received vouchers up to £50!! The gardens look a lot better now for residents over looking the area, it also gave the youths a change to work at getting somewhere nice they could relax and play games in throughout the year.
Street clean up in Hywelfa / bryn goleu – July
NACRO, the strategy office, the local housing office and the local policing team all attended with skips, gardening equipment and street clean up equipment to help tidy the gardens and roads of Hywelfa and some parts of Bryn Goleu. It wasn’t done as a service and residents came out and helped clean the street up in an effort to make the street look spotless! Residents supplied drinks and food for the volunteers and luckily the weather stayed nice so the streets could have a thorough cleanout!
Early intervention team – august
In August the Early Intervention Team began working within Broughton and Brymbo as a way of working with the local policing team to tackle any anti social behaviour. The Policing team have worked closely with the Early Intervention Team and have been referring youths that could benefit from some one 2 one work with the team. The early intervention team have helped build bridges with the local community and the local policing team and have helped provide information as to what the local youths are interested in.
Keep wales tidy week - September
In Spetember all of the Broughton team took part in ‘keep Wales tidy week’. Myself, PCSO Scott Ashton and PCSO Lyn Davies all organised 3 litterpicks with the local schools and councillors and picked 3 areas in Broughton that needed a tidy up. The litterpicks took place on the Solway Banks skate park for Southsea, Brynteg school field for Bryn Cefn and Gatewen fields for New Broughton. Pupils and teachers all helped out at the event from Brynteg School and Ysgol Penrhyn in New Broughton. The pupils enjoyed the litterpick and are keen to take part again next year!
Country fare – September
In September 2009 the local policing team attended the Broughton country fare next the the memorial hall on Quarry Road. The policing team had an information stall and had a chance to speak to local residents, highlighting crime issues and helping out with crime prevention advice.
Alcohol awareness week – September
In September 2009, the issue was raised at the Broughton PACT meeting that underage drinking and anti social behaviour was the resident’s biggest concern. myself and PC Nadia Hutchinson organised Operation Liberty to test off-licensed shops and local pubs within Wrexham North in an attempt to find out if it was in fact shops and pubs supplying the alcohol to local youths. The police horses were involved and press campaign featured in the Flintshire and Wrexham Leader warning youths and parents of the dangers of binge and underage drinking. The article also stated that police in Wrexham North had funded and obtained alcohol test strips thanks to Operation Liberty. These strips were to test unlabelled bottles for alcohol. The majority of this work took place during alcohol awareness week and Operation Liberty is still looked after by myself and is used regularly to test shops and pubs for underage sales and proxy sales. Broughton policing team has worked very closely with trading standards throughout the whole of 2009 and will continue to do so in 2010.
Halloween disco – October
In October, local youth workers organised a Halloween disco for Broughton youths in Gaffney’s youth club! The disco started at 4pm for under 14’s and then over 14’s could attend after 8pm. The local policing team attended before the disco started just to make sure everything was ok, made sure the youth workers had local officers numbers, informed them we were in the area the whole night and that we had alcohol test strips for anyone that tried to get in with an unlabelled bottle as the event was alcohol free and also visited at several points throughout the night just to make sure there was no trouble. The night went ahead without any problems and everyone who attended enjoyed the night.
Dog fouling event – November
In November I helped NACRO with a dog fouling event aimed to increase awareness with dog owners that dog fouling is an offence and can be extremely dangerous if it comes into contact with humans, especially young children. The event was set up after a large number of complaint came to NACRO and the NPT about dog fouling. We handed out leaflets on the subject along with dog refuse bags. The first awareness event took place next the the AM/PM shop on Darby Road, Brynteg and the secod was near Bargain Booze in New Broughton.
Homework club – November
In November, the strategy office set up a homework club for local school children to attend if they wanted to complete their homework. The club gave internet access and materials for homework that some people might not have at home. The Homework clun is attended by myself, PCSO Scott Ashton and PCSO Lyn Davies most weeks and it’s a chance for local youths to speak to their PCSO.
Op cinnamon – December
In December the Broughton NPT organised Operation Cinnamon. This is an event aimed at the elderly residents within the community. The aim is to promote safety in the home and help the elderly to feel safe and stay safe. The local team of officers invited lots of partner agencies such as the Fire Service, Help the Aged Trading Standards etc. We put on a presentation which showed how vulnerable the elderly can be when they are targeted by rogue traders and distraction burglaries. We gave out lots of free personal safety alarms and information and also done a little bit of acting ourselves where we acted out version of a distraction burglary which we hope would show the elderly just how easy it can happen. We also put on a fun side to the day and had a couple of games of bingo and a raffle. We had some brilliant prizes to give out which had been donated by local businesses from the Wrexham area. We are hoping to do this event every year so be on the look out for our posters which we put up to advertise the day.
Christmas fete/santa’s grotto – December
The Broughton NPT attended the Broughton Christmas fete in the memorial hall. Although the event was to celebrate the Christmas period, the NPT tried to increase awareness in distraction burglary and other related crime by giving out information, advice and personal, home and vehicle safety alarms.