You can now join one of OWL's watch schemes directly from our website! No more printing a form or going to the postbox to send it to us. FNWA is going green!

Our online form is simple to fill in: just a few details and you are on your way to becoming a member of one of the 30 different watch schemes available through OWL.

If you already know which scheme you want to join and just want to sign up, go straight here and fill up our form.

Want to know more about a particular scheme? Then visit our Watch Scheme page to help you decide which is more suited to your circumstances.

A scheme aimed at helping to reduce the number of bicycle thefts across North Wales was launched on the 30th April 2012.

"BikeRegister", the UK's leading online identification and registration initiative, is partnering North Wales Police and local Community Safety Partnerships to tackle bike theft by participating in Bicycle Watch.

This scheme comes at an appropriate time as there has been an increase in bicyle thefts throughout North Wales over the last few months.

Learn more about the scheme, simple ways that will protect your bicycle, links and more, in this leaflet, available in Welsh and English.

A special market is taking place on the 27th, 28th and 29th of April 2012 in Mold.

Traders from the continent are setting up their stalls in the Daniel Owen Square, offering their products to local people.

Biscuits, olives, cider, nougat, cheeses and saucissons and many others are there for you to sample and buy, all with that continental "je ne sais quoi". One of our sources tells us: "I’m told that the tartiflette (wonderful potato & smoked bacon dish from the Alps) is awesome!"

So why don't you go and visit the continental market this week-end in Mold and enjoy some of the good food from our neighbours across the Channel?

So you think you could be the next Matt Hayes?

Then come and show your mettle at the Mark Jones Memorial Fishing Tournament this April.

This competition, organised by Get Hooked on Fishing Wales, Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association's award-winning project for young people, will take place on the 27th, 28th and 29th of April 2012, at the Commonwood Fishery in Holt, Wrexham.

You have to be 17 or under to enter.

The "Mark Jones Memorial Fishing Tournament" is a tribute for a young man who was a passionate fisherman.

Mark Jones was 34 when he lost his life to drugs, and his father Edward wanted to ensure that this tragedy would serve as a warning to young people.

"Mark was certainly at his happiest with fishing rod in hand", and nothing could better that feeling, certainly not the drugs that took his life. The message behind his story and Get Hooked on Fishing is a common one: Get Hooked on Fishing, not drugs.

This tournament is a way to share that message with young people.
Many of them have already signed up for it, so come and join them for a three-day fishing fiesta.
There is a form at the back of our booklet, which you can fill in and send back to us.
This booklet also includes more information on the background to this tournament.

Get in touch with us before the 19th April 2012 to join the other competitors. However late entries might still be accepted.

The earlier the better though, so that everything can be organised in time and in the best way possible and that this tournament can be a great success.

Contact the Get Hooked on Fishing Wales project:

By mail: enquiries@fnwa.org.uk
By telephone: 01352 708118, and ask for Allan.

You can also find out more about the role of the Get Hooked on Fishing Wales project and the positive effect it can have on young people by visiting the Get Hooked on Fishing web page.

Pupils at a Flintshire school were awarded with their ACE Detective Module 1 certificate when PC Hug and the -Kops team came to visit.

-KOPS is an intergenerational project that educates young people in the area of Doorstop Crime and Bogus Callers in a fun and interactive way.

-KOPS at Ysgol Maes Glas was funded by the Welsh Government's Community Cohesion fund and FNWA have worked in partnership with Communities First Holywell, Flintshire Trading Standards, North Wales Police and the Community Safety Partnership in its delivery.

In total, 42 children took part in the programme. More on the project...

On Thursday 7th March 2012, for one day only, customers at the Mold branch of the NatWest bank on High Street were treated to a different kind of service from what they are used to.

Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association's PC Hug was at hand to greet them inside the premises (see photo), where the rest of the team helped the staff at the bank in promoting Customers Safety Day.

They set up shop within the premises and offered customers information and safety products relating to Target Hardening.
This term refers to the strengthening of the security of buildings in order to reduce or minimise the risk of attack or theft: the harder a building is to break into, the safer the target is, detering would-be burglars from even attempting anything.

There was also other products available at this event, including personal security items, such as purse bells.

Many other security products can be purchased from Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association. See our catalogue here.

A particular strung-seed bracelet, which has been on sale in the Eden Project´s shops for around a year (see picture here), is being recalled as it may contain seeds from the plant Abrus Precatorius.

These seeds may contain the poison Abrin, which is very toxic.

Eden are asking anyone who has purchased such a bracelet in the last two years to contact them. It is important to cascade this information to anyone who may have purchased this bracelet, old or young.

Please click on this link for further information.

This Wednesday 7th March 2012 saw PC Hug and members of Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association visit the Mold Deaf Forum.

Our lovable bear, along with Ella Ellis, 50+ Development Worker, and placement student George Davies visited the forum to present its members with an overview of watch schemes, as well as the OWL crime and communication system (see photo).

The aim of this visit was to give members of the forum an understanding about what these schemes do, as well an opportunity for them to ask any questions they may have had.

The presentation prompted much interest from the group on how Neighbourhood Watch works within our communities.

OWL is featured in an episode on the BBC1 programme "Doorstep Crime 999", with a video available here, showing a real example of the efficient use of this communication system. OWL prevented a lady from becoming a victim of a distraction burglary.

OWL currently operates in Hertfordshire, Staffordshire, Gwent, North Wales and Carmarthenshire.

Cold Calling is for most of us a real nuisance. Whether it be at the door or on the phone, we could all do without it.

But Cold Calling can sometimes take on a more sinister turn. So it is better to be aware of this type of crime, and Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association is helping in passing the message on to the public.

So read online or download this guide from the Doorstepcallers website to find out how you can deal with unwanted cold callers.

This booklet is also available on the Welsh version of the website here.

Our new catalogue for 2012 is out!

It still retains its familiar layout, but we've given it just the right amount of tweaking to make it easier to navigate, with a new content page to find out where everything is.

Add to that some new products - look out for our character PC Hug to find out which ones they are, and you have a great source for all your security needs. Discover it here.

Don't become a fire hazard!
Be safe and safe to others.

If you are planning a controlled burn, you must contact Fire and Rescue Service Control on 01745 535805.

Resources have been stretched to breaking point in previous years due to deliberate grass fires.

As part of its commitment to bringing offenders to justice, North Wales Police have launched ‘Caught on Camera’, which is an initiative to assist in identifying offenders.

This is your chance to help officers with their enquiries by identifying images caught on CCTV cameras throughout North Wales.

Visit the North Wales Police website and choose 'Caught on Camera' on the right-hand side menu for more.

More details are available in our OWL alert.

-KOPS (Youth Keeping Older People Safe) was a winner of the ‘Best Youth Group’ at the Customer Involvement Awards 2011.

More...

Keep your biological Central Heating ticking nicely this winter; get some tips on stocking up your store cupboard for winter with this short guide from the Food Standard Agency.

Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association’s initiative, ‘Get Hooked on Fishing’ Flintshire competed at the National Get Hooked on Fishing Championship 2011, which took place at...

More...

Visit our 50+ in Flintshire page to find out what it's all about.

The Welsh Government Minister with responsibility for Transport confirmed this month that the popular concessionary rail fares scheme is to continue on four rural routes across Wales for a two year period.

For more information on this scheme, which includes amongst others Conwy, Gwynedd, Flintshire and Wrexham, visit the Welsh Government's website here.

The Doorstep Selling 2011-12 campaign launched on 20 July 2011, aiming to empower elderly consumers to make effective purchasing decisions when buying on their doorstep and reduce their vulnerability to rogue traders.

Find out more about Doorstep Selling with several publications, in both English and Welsh, available on the Office of Fair Trading's website and here:

This leaflet includes advice on what to look out for and suggestions on ways to deal with Doorstep Selling.
More detail is available in this booklet, which is aimed at a wider audience.
Use this Door Hanger as a tips reminder before you answer the door; also available in Welsh.

More information on this issue and many others is available on the Office of Fair Trading's website.

A public survey for Flintshire and Wrexham was held earlier this year on the OWL (Online Watch Link) system of communication, in which members of the public who have signed up can receive information on local crime in their area.

Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch is presenting a snapshot of the results here. Find out what people think of OWL and the impact on their lives.

If you are unsure of what OWL is, or how it can be of use to you, your family, friends or neighbours, why not visit our OWL page here.
We are facilitating the OWL system in Flintshire and Wrexham, and are trying to make signing up an easy and painless process, with clear facts on what the system can bring to people and communities.

On Thursday the 15th of September 2011, the Get Hooked on Fishing Wales initiative, implemented by the Flintshire Neighbourhood Watch Association in Flintshire and Wrexham, received a £100 cheque from energy provider .

Find out more about the Get Hooked on Fishing Wales initiative on our project's page

A survey including thousands of Watch members from Flintshire and Wrexham was conducted in July of this year, showing the impact that the OWL (Online Watchlink) system has had on their lives, attitudes and relations to crime.

Find out more in this joint press release from FNWA and Direct Path Solutions, the company behind OWL.

The Young Persons Drug and Alcohol Team support young people who experience problems with drugs and alcohol.

The Team is a local project based in Buckley, but their drug and alcohol education takes place in schools, youth clubs, pubs, clubs and out on the streets.

Find out more about the team and their various projects in their second newsletter.

Our President, the Right Honourable Lord Barry Jones, highlighted the role of volunteers in a House of Lords debate about the "Big Society" on the 11th May of this year.

He paid tribute to "this army of voluntarism" that "keeps our complicated civic society show on the road", including Neighbourhood Watch.

Read the rest of his contribution here, as well as the complete debate here.

And if you want to know more about what's being said around the corridors of powers, find out more about how others see the "Big Society", follow debates online, on subjects that concern all of us, or simply learn more about your MP, visit TheyWorkForYou.com.

If you would like to receive OWL alerts, but are not quite ready to get involved in a Neighbourhood Watch scheme, why not just sign up for OWL alerts only?

The relevant form is available on our OWL page.

And if you feel it could be of further benefit, join a Watch by filling in our "OWL Registration form with a Watch", available from the same page.

While you are there, find out all you need to know about the OWL system, how it can help Neighbourhood Watch, the Police and other agencies in combating crime.

Following a small number of oil thefts targeted both at residents and businesses, North-Wales Police are offering information and advice to help you in preventing such crimes.

North-Wales Police have produced a leaflet available here with contains tips as well as contact details.

Top-Up Safe is a national campaign launched in response to a doorstep crime that involves criminals offering pre-payment energy top-ups at cheaper rates.

Find out more in our Safety and Re-Assurance section or visit the campaign's website here for more information.

DangerPoint is an award winning centre that educates children and young people in safety awareness

Remember Miff? Mynydd Isa Field For Youth! This was a project by the Young People in Mynydd Isa to give a new lease of life to the playground in the Bonc area of this village near Mold.

We were proud to show their wonderful achievement in July 2010 back when it was launched. Well now comes MIFF - The Movie, available here, thanks to John Butler, who filmed it all and was quite willing to share it with us.

Read or discover our regular columns: our Chairman's message, the Environment, Reassurance, the Older Peoples Strategy, OWL (The Online Watch Link), the Goodneighbour store. Plus, the run-down on all the other news that the Association is concerned with, such as the new Neighbourhood Agreement Pathfinder Areas, the 2011 Census, our AGM, and more.

Get Hooked on Fishing held a conference on the 21st and 22nd of January 2011 in Manchester. More....

Have your say on this initiative by giving your views, and help shape the future for the Youth of Flintshire.
Find out more details in our -Factor and Young People section.

Do you want to learn to speak or improve your English? Then why not come along to a free English (ESOL) class at Deeside College?

Details are available here and class times here.

North Wales Police's Diversity Independent Advisory Group is looking for more advisors to help in its advisory role to the Police. More on this is available in this Word document. A contact telephone number is included.

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