2023 marks the 39th year of Volunteers’ Week (1-7 June), and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland (NWS) will join thousands of charities and voluntary organisations recognising the contribution volunteers make across the UK.
This year, at a selection of Dobbies Garden Centres across the country, Neighbourhood Watch Scotland staff and volunteers will be highlighting the work of our approximately 3000 volunteer members, and the benefits the 30,000 Neighbourhood Alert service users get for free. They’ll be on site to answer questions about Neighbourhood Watch, talk about how easy it is to get involved as a volunteer, and help them sign up to the free Neighbourhood Alert service.
Neighbourhood Watch Scotland’s James Millar, NWS Board member and local NW group coordinator, said: “People often wonder if and when they should get involved in local volunteering, and the answer is yes and now! For Neighbourhood Watch it’s a hugely valuable and enjoyable activity, which gives neighbours, in big and small groups, a chance to improve local community safety, and get to know each other if they don’t already. A great range of people from diverse backgrounds across Scotland are already part of that network, and we’re grateful to Dobbies Garden Centres for providing us with a public opportunity to celebrate them, and would encourage others to come along and find out more!”
Thanks to core funding from the Scottish Government’s Building Safer Communities programme, Neighbourhood Watch Scotland champions, develops and supports others with the simple maxim of ‘Safer Neighbourhoods Stronger Communities’. In a challenging world it’s never been more important.
Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Director, Lesley Clark said: “Volunteers’ Week is a great opportunity for us to celebrate the difference Neighbourhood Watch volunteers make to our local communities, the voluntary sector and society as a whole. They create a stronger sense of community and security, make an important contribution to the reduction of crime in their area, and draw local people together.”
NWS Director Lesley Clark added, “Neighbourhood Watch is changing, with growing numbers of different ages seeing the benefits in both face-to-face and digital engagement. We recognise that community safety can mean very different things to different people, so we support local people who want to make a difference to their area, by connecting with and co-ordinating like-minded individuals, working with Police Scotland, councils and other agencies’ services to share information on staying safe, and providing a simple way to work together, and ultimately become more resilient”
Where people can meet with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland during Volunteers’ Week
Dobbies Garden Centres between 10am and 2pm:
Thursday 1st – Dobbies Lasswade
Friday 2nd – Dobbies Aberdeen
Saturday 3rd – Dobbies Perth
Monday 5th Dobbies Livingston
Tuesday 6th – Dobbies Braehead (Renfrew)
Wednesday 7th – Dobbies Stirling
