By BRIDGET COOK
NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch (NHW) Casey has been honoured for its work in promoting safety to the community.
The group won three awards at the Neighbourhood Watch Victoria Annual State Award of Honours, held at the Caulfield RSL on 10 October.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay presented the highest awards on the night – the State Awards of Honour – including one to the NHW Casey committee.
The committee received the award for its work over the past 12 months, particularly with the Community Safety and Family Fun Day held late last year in Cranbourne which attracted more than 6000 people.
The committee has organised and run at least one major event every month and was also instrumental in the formation of NHW Cardinia a few months ago.
The group was also awarded with the David Lentin Memorial Award which recognised the group with the most acclaimed programme initiative, for its family fun day event.
Editor of the NHW Casey Reporter, a newsletter the covers what the group has been up to, and Facebook page David Hewitt was also awarded with a State Communication Award for his work in promoting NHW to the community.
NHW Casey secretary Jennifer Baird said the group was thrilled to win the awards.
“It’s really cemented the group as a good working committee, as we were struggling a bit before we had the big family fun day,” he said.
“The family fun day certainly gave us some great momentum, with a number of other things coming out of it.
“We now have KC Watchdog mascot out and about in the community and got a good email address data base from the event.”
Ms Baird said the group has grown a lot since it started.
“We started as a group of 15 strangers thrown in a room together,” she said.
“Suddenly we have come together and found that each of us had great things we could offer to Neighbourhood Watch.”
Speaking at the awards, Mr Lay said the quality of policing was dependent upon its interaction with citizens and the quality of communities depends upon the interaction between each other.
“This is where Neighbourhood Watch comes in,” he said.
“Together, you have created a powerful network of information.
“You have created a web of concerned citizens and it’s working.
“It’s helped keep your neighbourhoods safer and it’s helped strengthen the relationship between police and the public.
“Now the essence of Neighbourhood Watch is provided by volunteers.
“So thank you for your work, your concern, your sense of community service.”
The group is looking for more volunteers, who do not need to attend meetings, to help with a number of initiatives being run.
The community is also invited to the group’s AGM on 13 November at the City of Casey Civic Centre, Narre Warren.
To find out more visit www.nhw.com.au/Southern-Metro/Casey.
