Published at 15:46, Wednesday, 17 February 2010

CRIME-BUSTING community wardens’ jobs have been saved in Whitehaven thanks to an £87,000 grant.

And the South Whitehaven community are celebrating as the grant means their wardens are safe for another year. The neighbourhood warden scheme carries out hundreds of community-focused events each year.

The scheme, which started in 2007, was originally funded from Safer Stronger Communities funding as part of the South Whitehaven Neighbourhood Management initiative, but the group had been due to close down this year. Now housing group Home is funding it until March 2011.

The scheme has helped to decrease the fear of crime in the area and the wardens work in partnership with other agencies, such as the police and local community groups.

Community garden projects at Mirehouse West and Greenbank have been instigated by such partnership approaches. The wardens, who operate out of St Peter’s Hall on the Woodhouse estate in the town, were involved in a whole week of activities last year featured on BBC Radio Cumbria, resulting in a special performance by young people from on and around the estate for Children in Need.

The wardens – Terry Barry, Paul Hamilton and Anne Stephenson – came to the rescue of a group of stranded Whitehaven youngsters by providing a minibus to take them to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United play, when their original transport was vandalised.

They have also organised tea dances, coffee mornings and other events aimed at improving the quality of life for residents in the area.

Andrea Thorn, acting managing director of Home in the region, said: “We are really pleased that the fantastic work carried out by the South Whitehaven Neighbourhood Wardens will continue for another year. The funding will enable them to build on their successful community development initiatives.”

Keith Cartner, neighbourhood team leader for Home, said: “We are absolutely elated. This is fantastic news. It is a testament to the investment that Home are putting into the communities. It demonstrates a fantastic relationship with residents and customers. They have been proactive about telling people how they value the service. Mirehouse Residents Group and Woodhouse Community Action Group protested for it.

“The wardens make things happen. Residents come to us for assistance, we listen, give advice. Very often they feel large agencies don’t get back to them. We have the chance to do that. The residents see us every day and we try to do every query. We get things done. It is a vital service.”

Yvonne Branney, from Mirehouse Residents Group, said: “We are all very pleased. We were concerned we were going to lose them. They have helped tidy up the area. They have cleaned up a lot. When we approach them if they can’t do something they will tell us who can. People feel reassured going to them if they feel they can’t go to the police. If they can help they will. They are good for the community. To look at the area a few years ago, it has come a long way. It would have been heartbreaking to lose them. It is positive news. It can only get better.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk