Neighbourhood Watch in Ipswich

In December 2010, 20 households in Holyrood Close were worried by the arson and graffiti that was being carried out in hedges/fences along the footpath from Belstead Road to Downing Close which backs onto properties in Holyrood Close. 

We contacted Anthea Pipe - Community Watch Liaison Officer. With her guidelines and advice our NW scheme was formed. We liaise with our local PCSO if any concerns are raised. We receive a weekly information sheet from Anthea keeping us up to date on crimes in the Stoke Park area.

Members of Holyrood Close and Sandringham Close Neighbourhood Watch Schemes have a litter pick on the last Saturday morning of each month, finishing with a well-deserved cup of tea and cake.

We applied to Suffolk County Council for a salt/grit bin and were accepted due to the curved bend on a slight incline in the road making the top end of the Close very slippery during icy winter days. The bin was placed where the bend and incline starts. Four residents volunteered to be ‘gritters’ on icy mornings.

In 2013 we formed a ‘No Cold Calling Zone’ after incidents where trades people were knocking at residents doors and with one foot in the door would not accept a No Thankyou! This has had positive results with much reduced cold callers.

Nine months ago, the rose bed under the Holyrood Close road sign was looking sad, so three residents in the Close got together and refurbished the rotten wooden border and planted up the bed up with an assortment of sedums, sempervivum and cyclamens, with miniature daffodils appearing in the Spring, needing little attention, but looking colourful.

Our Close has become a friendly caring neighbourhood where we keep in contact regularly and meet socially every three months in a resident's home, thanks to the Neighbourhood Watch Scheme.

Sue Strutt and Kathy Endersbee, Co-ordinators.