Here is your November 2026 edition of Watch - Connect - Act

Hello to all our wonderful volunteers

This is the last edition of Watch – Connect – Act for 2026, but don’t worry it will be back in the new year.  Our last edition was well received and we are thankful for the feedback.  As we go into our 2nd year of our five-year strategy, we are delighted to be seeing more activity, more groups forming and higher visibility in our communities, by volunteers just like you.

Thank you for everything you do to bring your communities together, strengthen connections and support those who may need a little extra help. Your dedication, along with the commitment of everyone involved in your Neighbourhood Watch group, helps create safer, more confident communities where people know they are not alone and feel better prepared to support each other when it matters most.

So without further ado, lets carry on with our newsletter….

Watch - crime prevention and campaigns

As the festive season approaches, the nights draw in and the 16 Days of Action begins, there are plenty of opportunities to help keep your community informed, connected and safe.

Connect - ideas to bring communities together

We have a list of great ideas to bring our communities together this winter and we have selected a few of them to share with you today.  We know that many of our Neighbourhood Watch schemes do this in their community – maybe this year it could be yours.

What would you do in your area?  We would love to know what you do to help your community feel better connected. Let us know volunteer@ourwatch.org.uk .

Act - making a difference together 

Every Coordinator can inspire positive action.

Every great community idea starts with someone willing to make a difference. Over the last five years, Neighbourhood Watch has invested more than £25,000 in local groups across our network, helping our volunteers deliver projects that make neighbourhoods safer, stronger and more connected.

If you have an idea that could benefit your community, we'd love to hear from you. This year's Community Grants offer two ways to access funding:

Route 1 – £75 Shop Voucher

Receive a £75 voucher to spend in our online shop on items such as signs, stickers, leaflets and other resources to help promote your scheme or support a community event. (Vouchers can only be redeemed in our online shop.)

Route 2 – Grants of up to £500

Apply for up to £500 to support a local project that tackles one of our priority areas:

Whether you're planning a community event, launching a local initiative or looking for resources to engage more residents, our Community Grants could help bring your ideas to life.

Find out which funding route is right for your group and read our frequently asked questions at: https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/communitygrants

Volunteer Voice – A coordinator’s story from around England and Wales

One of the best ways to support volunteers is simply by bringing them together.

Recently, Local Area Coordinator Dan organised two informal events for Coordinators in his area, giving them the chance to meet, share ideas and feel part of a wider team. Thanks to funding from the local Association, attendees also received new Neighbourhood Watch signs and stickers to help promote their schemes.

Dan knows the value of volunteering. He began his Neighbourhood Watch journey during the COVID-19 pandemic and now supports others as both a Street Coordinator and Local Area Coordinator for Shooters Hill and Plumstead Common.

Events like these remind us that volunteering is about more than keeping our communities safe—it's about supporting one another too. Why not consider organising a coffee morning or informal get-together in your own area? A simple conversation could inspire your next great community idea.

Knowledge Hub Corner

Over October and early November, our Head of Communications and Digital, Charmian, delivered three workshops designed to help Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators use social media to grow their groups, engage their communities and share the positive work happening locally.  These were on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Whether you're managing a Facebook group, thinking about setting up an Instagram page or simply looking for ideas on how to tell your community’s story, Charmian and our Social Media Officer, Mila, shared practical advice, answered questions and helped Coordinators feel more confident online.

We’re pleased to say that these workshops are now available to watch on our Knowledge Hub, so you can access the advice and tips whenever you need them.  Find out more here.

Not yet on the Hub?

If you are not yet on the Knowledge Hub, then you need to complete our online form, once you have submitted it, you will be sent a login link and temporary password from My Hub Intranet.

Association Spotlight - Kent

Kent Neighbourhood Watch Association, chaired by John Bushby, is going from strength to strength. At a recent Association Leads Meeting, John presented to his fellow leads about the work the Association is doing, how they work with police in their force area and the challenges they have overcome and those that are ahead.  

In brief John spoke about the differences as a county with 85% of the land being rural, a gateway to Europe, a county rich in culture, history and heritage and the contrasts between an affluent West and a less affluent area of East Kent.  What was important though was not the differences, although these are supported locally, it was the things that are the same, no matter where you are in Kent, these being fraud, burglary, vehicle crime, and rural theft.

You may remember one of Kent’s Coordinators, Peter New, who presented at the recent conference and who spoke with passion about the work they are doing together with police and with support from their local Police and Crime Commissioner.  You can watch his talk here.

Dates for your Diary

And finally….

We would love to wish all our wonderful volunteers and their communities, a merry Christmas and a happy new year.  Thank you for everything that you do to make your community better connected, safer and happier.

We hope you have enjoyed our new refreshed volunteer newsletter, just for Neighbourhood Watch Coordinators.