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Neighbourhood Watch Sorrento/Blairgowrie areas

Address
Sorrento, Victoria, Australia, 3943
Map

How Neighbourhood Watch came to be in the¬¨‚ĆSorrento / Blairgowrie areas‚Äö?Ѭ?‚Äö?Ѭ?.

In 1999, soon after taking up the position as Officer In Charge of the Sorrento Police Station, Sergeant Mick Russell surveyed the local community at various Fairs and Street Festivals and received overwhelming support for the program. He then encouraged the Neighbourhood Watch State Board of its viability and was given subsequent approval to develop the unique areas, whose design was ‚Äö?Ñ??outside the approved model‚Äö?Ñ?¥.
In May, 2000, the Sorrento / Blairgowrie Neighbourhood Watch Group was launched at the Athenaeum Cinema, Sorrento, with local police and newly formed committee giving a commitment to the program.

 

The two townships of Sorrento and Blairgowrie were divided into 5 areas:
  • MPS 18 - Blairgowrie Foreshore area bounded by Canterbury-Jetty, Melbourne and St.Johnswood Roads,
  • MPS 19 - Blairgowrie Foreshore area bounded by St.Johnswood, Melbourne and Hughes Roads,
  • MPS 20 - Blairgowrie Ocean Beach area bounded by Canterbury-Jetty, Melbourne and Hughes Roads,
  • MPS 21 - Sorrento area bounded by Hughes to St.Pauls Roads,
  • MPS 22 - Sorrento area bounded by St.Pauls Road to Portsea boundary.
The group have been actively engaged in New Year‚Äö?Ñ?¥s Eve Steering Committee Meetings since 2001 and regularly meet at the Sorrento Community Centre at 7.00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month.

 

Since its launch the Sorrento / Blairgowrie Neighbourhood Watch Group has achieved the following:
  • Displays at 6 Sorrento Street Festivals, 2 Blairgowrie Fairs and 5 school markets / fetes,
  • Marking valuables during ‚Äö?Ñ??Mark it in March‚Äö?Ñ?¥ programs and Melbourne Cup weekends in Sorrento and Blairgowrie, as well as opportunities to mark bicycles as local schools,
  • Gained accreditation as ‚Äö?Ñ??Non for profit organisation‚Äö?Ñ?¥,
  • Regular production and distribution of over 2,500 newsletters every two months & 3,500 newsletters during Summer through post office boxes, walkers and local businesses,
  • Inclusion of newsletter on www.portsea2rye.com website for the benefit of holiday home owners and increased exposure,
  • Provided over 12 NHW lectures at various clubs and associations,
  • Subjected all NHW helpers to police check accreditations,
  • Fundraised to enable 1st stage of NHW Street Signage throughout both townships (October 2002),
  • Formed partnerships with local agencies and clubs to enable installation of ‚Äö?Ñ??Lock It‚Äö?Ñ?¥ warning signs at many beachside carparks from Portsea to Flinders (December 2003),
  • Distribution of NHW home owners kits and gate plates (2003 / 2004),
  • Provided all local caravan parks and camping grounds with ‚Äö?Ñ??Advice for campers‚Äö?Ñ?¥ and NHW marking kits (engravers / pens / brochures),
  • Attained ‚Äö?Ñ??Newsletter of the Year‚Äö?Ñ?¥ for Nepean Division 2004,
  • Received recognition from the Department of Family and Community Services with the presentation of a $924.00 grant for equipment,
  • Hosted a Community Forum at the Sorrento Cinemas in June, 2004, on ‚Äö?Ñ??Crime and Safety‚Äö?Ñ?¥ with guest speakers from Drug Alcohol and Policy Unit, Crime Prevention, Neighbourhood Watch, Australian Drug Foundation and Road Safety Program.
  • Continuing partnership with Rotary Club of Sorrento in the production of a Cinema Advertisement to make local residents and tourists aware of anti-theft strategies (Launched October 2004). The ad will be a regular feature during future summer screenings at local cinemas
  • Hosted a Graffiti / Vandalism Problem Solving Forum in April, 2005, at the Sorrento Community Centre.

 

In 2005, Graffiti response strategy developed whereby
  • Developed and distributed a fault notification proforma to several local businesses for notification of the shire to repair signs, infrastructure and graffiti
  • Monthly list of sites requiring attention compiled by police and emailed to the Shire
  • Shire resolves the listed issues and their service provider from Urban Maintenance Services (UMS) who tackles the graffiti issues contacts police.
  • Police task the UMS graffiti removalist to provide a quote for any private properties that have been graffitied.
  • Police then contact the owner and provide the quote and liaise with UMS to have the graffiti removed or covered ASAP
  • Contact the local paint supplier Mitre 10 Sorrento to mix paint
  • Dulux have confirmed the donation of 100 litres of paint to be made available to our local Mitre 10 outlet
  • Mornington Peninsula Shire Council have forwarded an agreement for $2000 seed funding for Sorrento Blairgowrie Neighbourhood Watch to continue with the project
  • Job gets done quicker