Operation Scruffyville Underway....

The seemingly abandoned building immediately in front of the Heritage Park School, Park Farm Crescent is about to get some essential attention. PFNW tracked down the owners BUPA and it seems that the building was repossessed some time ago.

Simon Whiting is the Estates Surveyor for BUPA, in London  (0207 6562116) and has now responded to our approachs by appointing a contractor to carry out urgent remedial work and generally tidy up the area. Hopefully contractors will be on site this Saturday.

The CCTV company has been alerted and has now been given permission by BUPA to remove the dangerous external vandalised camera and mount. Many thanks for all your telephone calls and e-mails.

A full list of concerns on the whole area, running to several pages has now been handed over to PCC along with a photographic record, including several more that PCC Neighbourhood Officer Gavin Wade spotted. PCC are seeking to establish a tool bank for community use and for community payback teams to use, more on this later.... meanwhile its blowing a gale and raining stair rods (ask your Father!) Time we had a community centre or a small pub in walking distance perhaps? Anyone know of a suitable building?




(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Remembrance Sunday at Duxford

On Remembrance Sunday, Imperial War Museum Duxford will be holding a special service of remembrance.



Admission to the Museum is free for all on this day and we very much hope that people will take this opportunity to explore IWM Duxford on the day when members of the Armed Forces, who have lost their lives in active service, are remembered.

At 11.00am, the two-minute silence will be observed across the Museum.

IWM Duxford’s Department for Learning will be hosting remembrance-themed family activities in AirSpace from 10.00am to 2.30pm.


Families can read about the story of the poppy and why it has become synonymous with remembrance since the end of the First World War. Children can make their own poppies and wear them as a symbol of remembrance or add them to the Flanders Field frieze.


There will be opportunities for families to handle a range of wartime artefacts and, by handling uniforms and personal kit from the collection, to compare and contrast how the experience of the Second World War soldier differed from that of a modern-day soldier.


Veterans of the Royal Anglian Regiment from a range of military conflicts will be talking to visitors in Land Warfare from 11.30am to 3.30pm.


A talk by the UK National Inventory of War Memorials will be held in the Marshall Auditorium between 11.15am and 12.00pm, while extracts from the Duxford – the Second World War Years DVD will be shown in the auditorium during the afternoon between 1.30pm and 2.30pm.


The Remembrance Service will commence at 12.30pm and will be preceded by a marching display featuring Sawston Youth Group Band with local air cadets. The Band of the Royal Anglian Regiment will also be performing.


There will be standard bearers from the Royal British Legion and the Burma Star Association.


Join us at historic Imperial War Museum Duxford to remember those who gave their lives, in conflicts past and present, to ensure that the world continues to enjoy the freedom that it does today.


(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

London armed drug dealers in Peterborough bid...

Cambridgeshire Police have launched Operation Riptide to stop gangs and dealers arriving from cities – such as London, Nottingham and adding the City to their dealing ground, the aim is to stem the flow of crack cocaine and heroin reaching the citys' streets from sometimes armed, drug dealers.


Police are set to increase visible police presence on the streets, particularly the Lincoln Road area of the city and will be stopping and searching suspected suppliers and others, with firearm Trojan units on standby as part of a zero-tolerance approach.


Chief Inspector Paul Rogers, force lead officer on drugs, said Operation Riptide was a robust long-term project to prevent Peterborough suffering the problems with guns that other major cities face.


“We don’t currently have a big gun problem in the city and we want to keep it that way, so armed dealers coming in wanting to peddle drugs will not be tolerated" he added.


Julian Bray Chairman, PFNW comments: "In posting the above, the intention is clear that if police resources are concentrated on Lincoln Road and known drug dealing areas, the "one percenters" living on Park Farm and Stanground might want to step up their own dealing and supply activities.

Active 'busts' are usually marked by the police helicopter hovering overhead and a Trojan firearms unit or Dog Unit parked off Park Farm Way. We are asking residents to keep a careful watch and report directly to police if anything unusual is happening. It might be streams of people coming and going to a single address at all times of the day and night or discarded drug wraps in the street, also keep a close watch on the playground and recreation area also the riverside greenwheel path at Middle Level. We just need to make it very uncomfortable ie impossible, for these lowlife dealers to operate." 


(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

URGENT REQUEST TO ALL RESIDENTS: SCRUFFYVILLE ALERT!

SCRUFFYVILLE ON THE RUN....

After a bit of arm twisting and nose tweaking, our neighbourhood officer is paying a flying visit to Park Farm on THURSDAY MORNING and will be given a drive round. The objective is to get a snag list together so the PCC and possibly Comminity Payback teams can come in and spruce up the estate, remove spray painted tags, cut back overgrown hedges, repair fences, renew road signs that have been vandalised and generally give the streets and furniture a good clean up and a deweed(?). If you see anything that should be the subject of our enquiry, telephone  01733 345581 or e-mail julianbray@aol.com  or just leave a confidential comment on here for moderation (ie we can read and copy it and then not publish on the blog it if so desired...) As the spending cuts bite, many areas in Peterborough will after the services of the PCC, our aim is to provide them with every facility possible.  


(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Winter Fuel Allowance still to be cut – despite Coalition promise

Winter Fuel Allowance still to be cut – despite Coalition promise

Warm and Cosy, the way we all should be... 
Click on picture to see it full size.

The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has criticised the Chancellor, George Osborne, for planning to cut the winter fuel allowance in 2011, despite a pledge in the Coalition government's programme to protect it.
In the Spending Review, the Chancellor said: "Winter Fuel Payments will remain exactly as budgeted for by the previous Government" - but the NPC points out that this means the £250 currently paid to households under 80 will drop to £200 and the £400 currently paid to the over 80s will fall to £300.


Already over 70 MPs have signed Early Day Motion 481 criticising the move.


Dot Gibson, NPC general secretary said: "The winter death rate amongst older people is a national scandal and getting worse. Last winter over 36,700 pensioners died of cold related illnesses – a staggering 13 pensioners every hour. Yet the government has now confirmed it is going to cut the winter fuel allowance next year, which will only make matters worse.”


“Up to 3m pensioner households are already spending more than 10% of their income on fuel bills, and are living in fuel poverty. What older people need now is more money – not less. They need to be reassured that when the cold weather comes they will not be financially punished for keeping warm in winter. The government must give them confidence that they will be able to pay their bills by immediately ruling out any changes to the winter fuel allowance.”

Julian Bray, Chairman, Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch said: This winter I am asking residents to make extra physical checks on elderly neighbours, and ensure that they are warm and safe this winter. We are facing a hike of 25% in fuel costs and a rise to 20% in VAT from January 2011. These and other increases will put intolerable strains on some slender household budgets and the easy option is to turn the heating down when old people most need it. There are special plans whcih could financially help but we cannot do anything unless we can find  and locate the people who are affected and they are agreeable to some form of practical assistance. The Government funded Warmfront programme for example will replace old boilers with energy saving  (IE MONEY SAVING!) condenser boilers...."




FUEL POVERTY POINTS 




Nearly 90 per cent of all excess winter deaths are of people over the age of 65.


There were 36,700 excess winter deaths of older people last year (Dec 08 - Mar 09)


Almost one in three older people live in homes with inadequate heating or insulation making their homes more difficult to heat and/or keep warm.


More than 1 in 4 people living in fuel poverty are over 70 years old


Average annual energy bills now exceed £1,000. This will absorb 16 per cent of the income of a single pensioner dependent on the pension credit minimum guarantee and the current £250 Winter Fuel Payment.






(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

PFNW Chair elected as Peterborough member on County Executive Group

Digging out the Police Office, a timely reminder that cold snaps are on the way and unlike last year the 'over the top' health and safety restrictions preventing residents from clearing snow have been dumped by the coalition government.  Double click on photograph to see it full size.

You'll be delighted to hear that Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Chairman Julian Bray was elected by the Peterborough NW Association on Saturday November 6th and now has a clear mandate to act as as the official representative for the City of Peterborough on the Cambridgeshire NHW Executive Group.

Julian Bray comments: "Historically, the City of Peterborough, has had to my mind, a raw deal from the Cambridgeshire Executive Group, which is mandated to act as an overall steering group for hundreds of countywide NW schemes. I have yet to be convinced that it is.   I intend to work towards changing all that and get the Executive Group working on behalf of all local schemes treating them equally.  For example, for years they have been sitting on £11,000 worth of funds, rather than ploughing the money into worthwhile local projects. This has to change and the Executive Group need to work on creating closer ties with NW groups in Peterborough. From time to time I will be publishing 'mid term reports' on how the Executive Group is looking out for Peterborough or are we fighting an uphill battle? Only time will tell."

(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581

Handy Top 10 Festive Checklist from St Ives & District NHW

CAT FLU  We'd really like to be kept in at night as its freezing outside....

With winter and the festive holiday season approaching here are some things you might like to think about:



1. Now that the grass cutting season is over make sure youR lawnmowers and all garden tools are safely locked away in your shed or garage.

2 When Jack Frost is about leaving your windscreens frosted each morning, do not leave your engine running, defrosting your car whilst you pop indoors for a moment, when you return your car may have disappeared.
3 When Christmas shopping be more aware of the dangers of pickpockets and possible theft of purses from your open shopping bags.

4 Make sure any items bought are put in the boot of your car, do not leave them for others to view and steal.

>>>> READ MORE

5 When you have wrapped all your presents, please make sure they are not in full view of your windows, there maybe someone who prefers your presents to buying their own.


6 If going away for the holiday, remember to cancel papers, but don’t shout it to the world! You just do not know WHO is listening.


7 When loading your vehicle, do so in the garage  or discreetly to avoid alerting everyone to your imminent departure.


8 Tell your NHW co-ordinator you are going away and ask them to keep an eye on your property using the PFNW HolidayWatch scheme


9 Fit an automatic light system, plug timers or ask a neighbour to draw curtains/ switch on house lights.


10. Remember your older and more vulnerable neighbours, please keep an eye on them as the weather gets colder.


This way may you have a happy, secure and crime free Festive Season with the best wishes of St Ives & District NHW  !!



(C) Park Farm Neighbourhood Watch Peterborough UK Tel: 01733 345581 Broadcasters direct call ISDN 'down the line' 01733 555319 ISDN Codecs G722 & APT All Press Enquiries Julian Bray 01733 345581