Committee Members

When in 2015 NHW was reviewed and updated, this energised my efforts to help establish several new schemes in my area of Trowbridge. I believe strongly in the idea of the police connecting with their communities and sharing information to help support the principle Safer Communities. I was pleased to join the Association’s committee in May 2023 and look forward to supporting its work. In July 2023, I became an accredited Cyber Watch Ambassador following training given jointly by Avast and the Neighbourhood Watch Network. I hope to use this experience to raise awareness of cybercrime

I have been involved with Neighbourhood watch since moving to Wiltshire in 2003, initially as a member of my local scheme and then taking over as coordinator, this was a small community of about 30 properties.

We then relocated to Old Sarum, where a scheme was already established. When the coordinator wished to stand down, I took over the role. This was in 2019.

I have been instrumental in starting and supporting a scheme in a neighbouring estate of Longhedge, as well a Facebook Group page.

I joined the Wiltshire committee during 2023.

I have spent the last 31 years working for BT in network efficiency, project and finance management and financial forecasting and reporting. I am currently Treasure of the Association.

Outside work, I have served as a Melksham Town Councillor, Chair of Governors at a local primary school and previously held the position of Chair of Melksham Community Area Partnership. I am a member of the Melksham and Area Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group and the Melksham Energy Group.

I am married with two adult children and have lived in Melksham since 1999. My leisure time is spent reading, time in the garden and walking the dog.

My name is Sarah Strange, I have lived in Amesbury for over 22 years. I am a registered Nurse. I have been a member of Neighbourhood watch for about 15 years, but recently i have taken on an Area Co ordinator role, overseeing and provding help and support to other Scheme members In Amesbury.

I have enjoyed living in Calne for over 20 years. Originally from the Blackpool area, I left home at fifteen and joined the Army where I served for 15 years, mainly in the Royal Tank Regiment as a gunnery instructor. I started Coleman’s Farm NHW in Calne several years ago and it has grown to 75 members in that time. I attend both Calne and Chippenham Safety Forum meetings which support liaison between local communities, their representatives and neighbourhood police teams. Locally, I drive for the Calne branch of the Wiltshire Link scheme, mainly hospital runs.

I have been married for 44 years and have two grown up children, one of whom is a local community nurse. I enjoy watching most sports and I am one of the many Vice Presidents of Calne Rugby Club.

I have lived in Downton for over 30 years and have always taken an interest in in many aspects of the village. I started the Barford Lane NHW scheme in 2019 after a series of lead thefts and since then two other schemes have started in the village and there is close co-operation between each of the schemes.

Our local schemes are all about providing a safe environment and this is strengthened if we work in partnership with the police and the Parish Council to reduce crime. As criminality extends beyond boundaries, I started the Neighbourhood Tasking Group which includes NHW and Parish Council representatives from our neighbouring parishes. We meet every month with the police to discuss crime trends in the area and importantly, how we the public can help. In this way we understand the nature of local crime which help determine policy priorities which serves to reassure the local community in terms of the police acknowledging local concerns.

In my role as a committee member of our Association, I support the principle of close working relationships with Wiltshire Police and other community stakeholders.