All members of Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania Inc are invited to attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held in the Mount Pleasant Showroom at the Country Club in Prospect Vale, Launceston on Saturday 20 November 21. People attending are asked to arrive by 10.45am so that the meeting can start promptly at 11am. The primary purpose of the AGM is to elect the members of the State Board for the next 12 months.
Importantly, the AGM will be immediately followed by an Awards Ceremony to recognise our most recent Honorary Life Members as well as other recipients of Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania awards for 2021. It is important for seating and catering that everyone intending to be there accepts this invitation by sending an email to admin@nhwtas.org.au by next Friday, 5 November 21.
IMPORTANT!! We really do want all our members to be there. But – please tell us you are coming.
Our constitution authorises the State Board to appoint two directors in addition to those elected at the preceding AGM. We are very pleased to advise our members that on 13 October 21 Kelsey Timms and Sarah Williams were appointed as Board Directors of Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania Inc. Although Kelsey and Sarah will attend and stand for election at the AGM on 20 November 21, we were keen for them to be introduced to our members at the earliest opportunity.
Kelsey holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design (Architecture) from the University of Tasmania along with other qualifications in building and construction, leadership, and management. She is currently the Business Development Manager for Wilson Homes.
Sarah holds Bachelor’s Degrees in Business and Arts, along with other qualifications in leadership, management and project management. She is currently a Project Manager for Strategic Policy and Planning with the Department of Education.
Left to right, Kelsey Timms, Sarah Williams, Treasurer – Christine Fraser, Police Liaison – Marita Osborn.
For the third year in a row Neighbourhood Watch has been fortunate to accept the offer from Bunnings to partner with them across Australia to promote Neighbourhood Watch Week in conjunction with Bunnings Crime Prevention Week (The Week). This partnership has been negotiated by Neighbourhood Watch Australasia (NHWA) and we in Tasmania have been keen to reap the benefits of this support and deliver events at our Bunnings Warehouses across the state. Please support your fellow NHW members doing something at a Bunnings near you during The Week.
Bunnings Mornington (Shoreline/Howrah, Howrah Gardens/Glebe Hill & Oakdowns)
NHW Information Stand, Raffle and Cuppa with a Cop on Thursday 11th November.
Bunnings Glenorchy (Montrose/Rosetta & Old Beach)
NHW Information Stand, Raffle, Cuppa with a Cop on the 12th & barbecue on Saturday 13th November.
Bunnings Kings Meadows (SLCD Kings Meadows/Young Town & Blackstone Heights)
NHW Information Stand, Raffle, and barbecue on Saturday 13th November.
Bunnings Devonport (Latrobe)
NHW Information Stand and Raffle on selected days during The Week.
Another NHW activity during Neighbourhood Watch Week will be a Cuppa with a Cop which is being hosted by our New Norfolk team at their Banjos Bakery and Café, 20 High Street New Norfolk. This event starts at 10.30 am on Wednesday, 10 November 21 and everyone from the local community is invited for a free tea or coffee on NHW. Inspector Philippa Burk, Sergeant Garth Hossack and other police members from the division will be there to ensure the success of the event.
Do yourself a favour and take a drive to New Norfolk on the 10th of November and support the New Norfolk NHW by having a free tea or coffee with the cops at Banjos.
Commissioner Darren Hine and his fellow Commissioners will help launch Neighbourhood Watch Week at a Cuppa with a Cop at the ABC on 9 November 21. In responding to this invitation his office advised: Thank you again for the kind invitation to the Commissioner to participate in Neighbourhood Watch Week, he is delighted to attend and would like me to forward the invite on to the Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Operations and Assistant Commissioner Specialist Support.
If that is not 100% Tasmania Police support for NHW and CWACs then I don’t know what is!
Just to prove that CWACs have become our flagship event, successful CWACs were also hosted in October at Evandale on 1 October and then at Prospect Vale and Latrobe on 6 October which was actually International Coffee with a Cop Day. Although a pleasant social event, there is an underlying purpose in the CWACs because the police connectivity contributes to reducing the fear of crime. Building good relationships between the community and the police is about improving the sense of wellbeing through personal contact and demonstrated support for our local police officers.
A significant benefit of being a member organisation of Neighbourhood Watch Australasia (NHWA) is access to their resources and support. In recent years, NHWA have facilitated small grants of $700 to our groups that organised activities for Get Online Week through the Good Things Foundation. This year, eight of our Watches took up the offer once again and hosted events to give older Tasmanian’s exposure to, knowledge of, and confidence in, doing activities online in this digital age.
The grants can be used to provide the venue, facilitator, administration costs, as well as refreshments and prizes for the people attending, which can be either online or in person. Members of our West Hobart event enjoyed the lesson as well as the morning tea! Watch out for this opportunity again in 2022.
Newnham is one of the oldest, continuously operating Neighbourhood Watch groups in Tasmania. It started in September 1991 and six of the original members are still engaged with the group. Coordinator Linda Madill and her team put on a celebratory lunch at the North Launceston Bowls Club on Wednesday 27 October 21. The Examiner newspaper attended and published a feature article on the event. A highlight of the day was the attendance of Police Dog Fang and his handler, Sergeant Gavin Storay, who has been a regular police liaison support for Newnham.
President Peter Edwards presenting 30 Year Certificate to Newnham Coordinator Linda Madill OAM.
Our Annual Calendar is scheduled for printing this week and the plan is to have it to our regular dissemination locations during Neighbourhood Watch Week. If you want to beat the que, the inside tip (Melbourne Cup Week jargon) is to front up to a raffle at Bunnings Devonport, Kings Meadows, Glenorchy or Mornington. Otherwise, your local Coordinator will be in the know!
Neighbourhood Watch Australasia prints three national magazines each year. Tasmanian articles are always included, and the publication is full of ideas, initiatives, and resources from groups around the country and in New Zealand to stimulate your thinking about what can be done to improve crime awareness and safety in your communities. If you have an article, you would like considered for publication, we welcome contributions at any time throughout the year. Just send your draft, and accompanying photographs, to admin@nhwtas.org.au.
Tasmanian COVID-19 information is at https://www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au/ and you can always find this link at the very top of the Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania website https://nhwtas.org.au/. When you visit our website, you can also find copies of previous Monthly Bulletins and Annual Newsletters.
Arson is a crime that costs everyone in the community in some way. This is especially true during a housing crisis, where every lost house is one less home for a family who doesn’t have anywhere to live. Crime Stoppers Tasmania is proud to work with Housing Tasmania, offering a reward of up to $10,000 if information leads to a conviction for this crime. When you contact Crime Stoppers there is no call display or call tracing, calls are not recorded, and IP addresses are not traced for online reports. Report crime information anonymously, anytime on 1800 333 000 or email crimestopperstas.com.au
Yours in Neighbourhood Watch
Peter Edwards, President
Good Neighbours Create Safer Communities
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