Neighbourhood Support is all about creating safe, resilient and caring communities –but it takes people to make it happen. 

Behind the well-known brand is a group of people in our community who play a vital role in keeping us connected, and vigilant.

Behind the Brand showcases our innovators, entrepreneurs, business owners, managers, leaders. 

It’s like a backstage pass into the real person behind the success. What makes them tick, what makes them successful. A peek at some of Central Otago’s smartest and most interesting people.

Learn their secrets, get hot tips from those with experience, and discover why you should support their venture.

Cromwell resident Murray Whitworth says Neighbourhood Support plays a vital role in our communities.

Murray has three volunteer roles in the Cromwell community – two of them Community Patrol and Neighbourhood Support. 

“What they have in common is community helping make community safe.

“Neighbourhood Support has the additional aim of creating a resilient and caring community.”

Murray explained ‘resilient’ means a community strong enough to deal with any crises or emergencies that arise, and caring in terms of looking after each other.

At the grassroots level, people form a neighbourhood group and choose someone to be a key contact person. They are then linked with other community groups through a neighbourhood support coordinator.

“In terms of criminal activity or antisocial behaviour in the community, there are the normal channels such as the police 105 line for non-emergency situations, or 111 for emergencies.

“Or people can go through the group contact person for their neighbourhood.”

Murray said Neighbourhood Support links with the community patrol network, and a police liaison officer attends community patrol meetings.

“This way, there can be a preventative focus for any issues occurring in the town.

“People notice something, the patrol increases its presence, police are made aware, and action can be taken to address those issues where possible.”

The role of neighbourhood support and community patrols is not to solve issues, Murray added. It is all about gathering information, connecting people in the community with appropriate support and services in order for solutions to be found at a local level wherever possible.

Murray says community patrollers are the eyes and ears for the police, and a deterrent for crime.

Community patrols are also a deterrent.

“If your presence is able to delay or deter people from criminal activity, then that’s a good outcome.” 

Murray said Neighbourhood Support was formerly known as Neighbourhood Watch with the sole purpose of cutting back on crime. Nowadays, there is a strong focus on caring and building resilience to prepare for emergencies, and on prevention before issues escalate.

Murray estimated there are currently around 26 neighbourhood support groups in the Cromwell district, with about 360 households participating. There are also about 25 active community patrollers.

They are all individuals looking after the community in which they live.

“In the ideal world all communities should be caring communities; with the COVID experience we saw people just do it as a natural thing, getting out and supporting each other.

“But in our busy world, that often doesn’t happen. People don’t know their neighbours.”

At the caring level it’s a very simple thing, he said. If a neighbour goes away for the weekend, bringing in their bins, or making sure mail isn’t obviously spilling out of the letterbox.

Noticing when someone hasn’t been out and about for a few days, which gives you a mandate to go and knock on their door and find out if they’re okay.

“Then resilience – when you have an earthquake or any major disaster, or even an accident at home, one of your first points of help is your neighbour.

“If you’ve got strong networks in place, neighbours knowing neighbours, there’s the resilience for communities to deal with the challenges that are thrown at them more effectively.”

Murray said he and his family had lived most of their lives in rural communities where support happened naturally, and you didn’t need an organisation.

Then, when they moved to a city they could see a gap.

On retiring to Cromwell, Murray was keen to join the networks that were already in existence to support the fast-growing community.

“I wanted to be part of these organisations because I knew how important it all was.”

Murray has now worked with Neighbourhood Support for eight years, and Community Patrol four years.

“People say we’re okay here, why do we need all this?

“This is about prevention, building a stronger community and not waiting until things happen.

“It’s about watching out for each other, and keeping it a great place to live.”

Images supplied