There are now new publications available for Watch members to use to promote and develop Neighbourhood Watch and Home Watch in their areas.

The Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network (NHWN) was launched across the nation with a brief to keep an eye on crime and crime fighting on our home front.

With the backing of the police and Home Office we will keep you up to speed on developments both locally and nationally via a constantly-updated website and regular newletters. Use this link to download your copy and to register to receive future editions.

National Consumer Week Events in the East Midlands
Various events will be held nationally for National Consumer Week run by the Trading Standards Institute in association with Consumer Direct, why not attend an event near you and find our your consumer rights where our trading standards officers will be giving out free merchandise and advice about how to become a savvy shopper this christmas!

Savvy shoppers are being urged to report misleading and aggressive selling and scams during National Consumer Week, which starts on November 17. Trading Standards Officers will be available for one day in each of the ten main libraries in the County, to provide advice and record information about problem traders.
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David Bull, Head of Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards Service said: “If you are a Savvy Shopper, this is your chance to make a difference! Ask your nearest library for information on when and at which Library Trading Standards Officers will be visiting to record any Rip-Offs, Scams, Loan Sharks or other Unfair Trading Practices that you may have come across. Let us know who the rogues are, so that we can target them.”

Motorists are being reminded to check their vehicle lights are all working properly now that the evenings are getting darker earlier.

With increased road safety in mind, officers from Leicestershire Constabulary's Road Policing Unit are going to be on the look out for vehicles with defective lights.

Defective brake or head lights can be a sign of poor vehicle maintenance and can put lives at risk.

Eat out for 1/2 price using the Gourmet Society at the UK's best restaurants.

The Gourmet Society has over 32,000 members in the UK who regularly dine out at their favourite restaurants throughout the Midlands, North East and Southern England.
With almost 2,000 restaurants members are spoilt for choice whether they wish to dine in Leicestershire, Newcastle, Birmingham, Nottingham, Oxford to name but a few places with Gourmet Society restaurants.
Leicestershire Villages users are able to save £20 on membership, by using the promotional code: VILLAGES

During the afternoon of Tuesday 4th November a number of distraction burglaries occurred around the force area. 3 of these were in the North of the county in the Coalville and Thurmaston areas but later in the evening a further distraction burglary occurred in Enderby which is in our South area.

Police are appealing for witnesses after four cars were stolen from a street in Market Harborough.

The incidents happened between 11.30pm on Sunday, November 2 and 8am on Monday, November 3 in The Headlands when three properties were broken into and the keys to the vehicles were stolen.

Two of the cars have been found nearby. Two vehicles, a silver BMW Coupe, registration YG55 VLO and a blue Ford Focus ST sport, registration BP08 GNO are still missing.

Current and potential volunteer promoters of Centre Screen, the mobile cinema scheme for Leicestershire, are invited to attend an informal event to be updated on developments and to provide feedback. If you’ve not yet had Centre Screen come to your village then you can find out how it all works. It is an opportunity for you to meet fellow volunteers and share experiences and you will also have the opportunity to look at what films are coming up. The events will be attended by representatives from Phoenix Arts, who manage Centre Screen, Leicestershire County Council, who fund it and the Arts Development Officer for the nearby local authority who also fund and support the scheme.
Dates of events are:
Monday 10th November, 7pm – 9pm at Hoby Village Hall, 32 Main Street, Hoby, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 3DT
Tuesday 11th November – 2pm – 4pm at Botcheston Village Hall, Main Street, Botcheston, Leicestershire, LE9 9FF
Tea, coffee, biscuits & cake will be provided!
For further information, directions to the venue and to book your place please contact Emily Horwood on 0116 267 0015 or ehorwood@leics.gov.uk

Recycle for Leicestershire - Recipe Competition Are you creative in the kitchen? Can you turn last night's left overs into a three course meal? If so then recycle for Leicestershire want to hear from you!
They are looking for innovative ways to turn that forgotten carrot or potato into an impressive dish!
All you have to do for a chance to win one of the fabulous prizes, including a first prize of vouchers to the value of £150.00, is submit a recipe of your own choice. For details see the attached leaflet or log onto www.leics.gov.uk. Competition closing date 28.11.08.

Police from Fleckney are appealing for witnesses after a car was stolen in the area.

The incident happened between 10pm on Wednesday October 29 and 10.30am on Thursday October 30, 2008 when thieves stole a red Ford Mondeo from the Kilby Road area.

The car has a distinctive white bumper and has the registration number K554 YPH.

Officers are appealing for witnesses following a burglary at a farm in Swinford near Lutterworth.

The incident took place between 11pm yesterday (Tuesday October 28, 2008) and 7.30am this morning (Wednesday October 29, 2008) when a workshop was forced open at Lambcote Hill Farm on Shawell Road.

Thieves stole from the building a green Kawasaki quad bike, an Ifor Williams trailer, acetylene cutting equipment and various tools estimated to be worth around £32,000 in total.

The Rural Community Council is now delivering Suicide Awareness Training to Leicester City. On November 26th there is an all day training course which targets occupational groups at risk e.g. vets, doctors, dentists, haulage workers and those working in the mental health area,

If you know someone who might benefit from this training and they are in one of the above groups, do please give Nickie Philbin a ring or drop her an email.

Direct line is 0116 268 9712 or email nphilbin@ruralcc.org.uk

The clocks went back one hour on Sunday 26th October 2008 and already the days are getting shorter and many of you will soon be coming home from work in the dark.

Whilst we don’t want to increase the fear of crime unnecessarily we have to point out that this really is the time to think about the darker nights and the fact that burglaries to dwellings between about 3pm and 7pm traditionally increase at this time of year.

Use this link to see how you can help your NHW members.

How messing about on boats saved Britain’s waterways

On 25 October 1968, a single piece of Government legislation transformed the UK’s ailing waterways from an all but abandoned Georgian transport network into a booming tourism success story now enjoyed by more than 1.5 million people every week.

To mark the 40th anniversary of one of the most important moments in the 200 year history of the UK’s canals, British Waterways is calling on visitors old and new to help celebrate the vibrancy of today’s 2,200 miles network of waterways by contributing their holiday memories to a giant virtual scrapbook. More »

The new RCC Community Funding Guide has just been published. In addition to hints and tips on applying for funding you will find details of over 150 funders.

The Rural Community Council(Leicestershire & Rutland)are hosting 2 seminars that will help people to understand and react to climate change issues and rising fuel costs.
VENUE 1 : Kibworth Grammar SchoolHall (Harborough District)
DATE: 22nd October 2008

VENUE 2 : Thornton Village Hall (Hinckley & Bosworth)
DATE: 30th October 2008

To book a place please contact dcook@ruralcc.org.uk
0116 2689706

Leicestershire Constabulary is launching a series of community engagement events seeking views from members of the public on the review of the Race Action Plan, which forms part of the Equality Scheme.

The Race Action Plan delivers accountability and scrutiny applied to policing by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 to eliminate institutional racism, cultural stereotyping and exclusion and to promote a culture of inclusiveness which embraces and respects diversity.

The Rural Community Council (Leicestershire & Rutland) has been awarded a national quality standards accreditation, making it only the 7th RCC out of 38 in the country to reach this standard.

In 2005 the RCC reached Defra Level 1 followed in 2006 with Level 2. In August 2008 the RCC submitted a wide range of documents and policies for inspection. In September telephone interviews were conducted by the inspection team with key stakeholders. On 14 /15th October an inspecting officer from ACRE (Action for Communities in Rural England) visited the RCC and carried out a series of interviews and a further inspection. More »

The public in Leicester will have the chance to get a unique glimpse into the Criminal Justice System. This year's Inside Justice Week gets underway between 18th and 25th October with major community events at the Highcross and the Samworth Enterprise Academy, Saffron Road from 11am, Saturday 18th October.