Crime Reduction - Helping to Reduce Crime in Your Area

Neighbourhood Wardens who have made their local communities cleaner, safer and greener were honoured at the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's 2004 Warden Achievement Awards in Birmingham.

- Youth Award
- Award for working with the elderly
- Community Safety Award
- Liveability Award
- Innovation Award
- Personal Achievement Award
- Manager of the year
- Team of the year
- Diversity Award
- Community Engagement

The awards recognise the contribution of the country's most outstanding wardens, who are improving the quality of life for local people - tackling crime, anti-social behaviour, graffiti, litter and encouraging community engagement and cohesion. Winning wardens receive £1,000 for their scheme and £500 for themselves, or split between the team for team awards

Ten individual wardens and 2 warden teams from across England were winners and a further 9 were highly commended. Their achievements include:

• Tackling fear of crime among the elderly

• Contributing to dramatic reductions in crime hotspots

• Transforming derelict sites for community use

• Setting up a non-alcoholic bar for young people

• Providing a mobile youth bus for teenagers in a remote area.
  

Thirty-two teenagers from around the country organised and participated in the Wardens National Conference, which was judged by 4 young people.

Award winners

The Neighbourhood Warden Achievement Awards 2004 are as follows:

Youth Award

WINNER: Darren Williams, Thornton Neighbourhood Wardens, Hull

Darren launched the area's first junior wardens scheme and worked with local schools to link their work on environmental issues to the educational curriculum. Within the first 50 months, 50 children had 'taken ownership' of the local environment.

COMMENDED:

1. St Leonard's Street Crime Wardens Team, London Borough of Lambeth. Manager: Keith Naish.

Their youth project provides a wide variety of sporting and educational opportunities. Regular school patrols and visits by wardens have led to significant improvements in children's conduct.

2. Jerry Philips, North Kerrier Street Wardens, Cornwall

Jerry established 4 youth groups in areas where none existed previously. He has also acquired a mobile youth bus to establish a club in a geographically and socially excluded area, which now attracts 50 children to its weekly sessions.

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Award for working with the elderly

WINNER: Robert Whitton, Basildon District Council Community Wardens

Robert made amazing progress in identifying and addressing fear of crime among elderly residents by breaking down barriers between young and old. His efforts have enabled elderly residents who were once afraid to walk to the shops to put their trust in young people.

COMMENDED: Nicola Gibbon, North Hull Community Wardens

Nicola developed a variety of imaginative projects including the creation of a vulnerable resident directory to identify, befriend and visit people who would otherwise live in solitude.

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Community Safety Award

WINNER: Wolverhampton Street Crime Wardens Team. Manager: Jess Pickard.

The team has a strong working relationship with the police and the business community, and has contributed to a dramatic reduction in acquisitive crime. High visibility patrols have reduced the fear of crime among residents and enabled local people to pass on vital information.

COMMENDED: Leyton Street Crime Wardens, London. Manager: Stanton La Foucade.

The team has worked closely with the police and local authority to achieve a 28% reduction in crime in their first year. Their willingness to volunteer as professional witnesses encouraged residents to come forward, leading to the arrest of offenders and the closure of a 'crack' house.

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Liveability Award

WINNER: Garvin Noel, Leeds City Council Neighbourhood Wardens

Garvin transformed an eyesore area of land outside the local community centre, affected by fly tipping and burned out vehicles, into a children's play area and community garden, which was planted and maintained by local people.

COMMENDED: John Reynolds, North Kerrier Street Wardens, Cornwall

John has worked to achieve the demolition of an eyesore block of lock-up garages known for fly tipping, abandoned vehicles, drug abuse and vandalism. The land is now earmarked for a new residential development.

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Innovation Award

WINNER: Paula James-Bailey, Basingstoke and Deane Community Wardens

Paula introduced a non-alcoholic bar in her local community centre, along with a healthy eating education programme for youngsters. The idea is being adopted in other patrol areas.

COMMENDED: Carolyn Bircham, Middlesbrough Street Wardens

Carolyn worked with the local fire brigade to design and manufacture 5 prototype fireproof containers to fit behind letterboxes on properties vulnerable to vandalism with fireworks. Efforts are currently underway to raise funds for larger-scale production.

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Personal Achievement Award

JOINT WINNER: Gail Peacher, Milton Keynes Safer Communities Neighbourhood Wardens

Gail contributed to a 30% reduction in crime on her estate and a range of youth and neighbourhood projects to tackle anti-social behaviour, improve the environment and enhance social cohesion. She also delivers assemblies at local schools.

JOINT WINNER: Lorraine Kent, West Hull Street Wardens

Lorraine's achievements include a green spaces project to transform derelict sites, an alleygate programme to address crime and litter and current work to ensure the continuation of a boys' club that has fallen into disrepair.

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Manager of the year

WINNER: Sophie Walker, King's Cross Street Wardens

Sophie's team was awarded for its impact on drug and crime hotspots. Their partnership with the police, enabled intelligence sharing and warden-led Anti-social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). Sophie's work has led to calls for the warden service to be extended.

COMMENDED: Ian Fall, London Borough of Merton

Ian organised the scheme's first clean-up event. He attends the police's weekly tactical crime and tasking group meetings, greatly increasing interaction and intelligence sharing between the two agencies.

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Team of the year

WINNER: South Manchester Community Wardens. Manager: Giselle Bawden.

They have transformed an area once known for gun-crime and a resident survey showed 84% felt reassured by the team's presence and 100% wanted the service to continue.

COMMENDED: Camden Town and Bloomsbury Street Wardens, London. Manager: Sophie Walker.

The team has significantly improved the quality of life for residents and businesses in a high crime area. They have empowered residents by acting as professional witnesses, provided activities for local youth, and mounted patrols specifically to deter racial attacks.

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Diversity Award

WINNER: Saikou Jabbi, Thornton Neighbourhood Wardens, Hull

Saikou is the first port of call for minority ethnic groups, asylum seekers and refugees in the area. He is respected by the police, council, and voluntary organisations, which regularly call on his knowledge and mediating skills.

COMMENDED: Gulfam Tariq, Walsall Neighbourhood Wardens

Gulfam's work is helping to break down barriers and increase communal harmony in the multicultural area where he lives and works. He actively befriends asylum seekers, providing practical help such as introductions to other agencies, recreational opportunities, accommodation and employment.

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Community Engagement

JOINT WINNER: Robert Kautzner, Kidderminster and Stourport Wardens

Robert broke up the gang culture that was creating a wide range of anti-social problems. He identified the lack of youth provision as a key factor and the result was a £200,000 revamp of the play area.

JOINT WINNER: Vicki Clarke, Hele Street Wardens, Torquay

Vicki has kick-started a new spirit of community co-operation. She has organised skip collections to prevent fly tipping, litter picks with local children, cleaned up woodland areas to remove needles and runs a fruit and vegetable co-op.

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