(Neighbourhood Support Rotorua co-ordinator Bruce Quedley (right) attaches a new sign with help from RonTaylor, Ngongotaha co-ordinator.)
A Rotorua Trust grant is helping boost the work of Neighbourhood Support Rotorua.
The Trust and Pauline and Richard Evans from Rotorua Rentals have combined to contribute a total of $13,600 for new signage and labelling to ensure participating neighbourhoods are well-identified.
Bruce Quedley, co-ordinator for Neighbourhood Support Rotorua, is one of a team of three part-timers maintaining Neighbourhood Support groups from Reporoa through to Lake Rotoma up to Kaharoa across to Mamaku and back down again.
They currently maintain 529 groups, covering about 8,500 households, which represent just over 35 per cent of the Rotorua district. This is quite good coverage compared to similar-sized districts, with many others in New Zealand being as low as 20 per cent.
Bruce says where a neighbourhood support group is established, there is generally about 10 per cent less crime, which he puts down to the vigilance of the people in the groups – if they see something, they report it.
“We’ve got a saying ‘if you see something, do something’ and that is to call the police.”
The groups also look after their neighbours, promoting a community spirit that has diminished over the years. Bruce carried out an audit of Neighbourhood Support signage in the Rotorua suburban area and found a large percentage of the signs were sun-damaged, old, damaged in other ways, or missing.
The funding has helped provide 850 new signs – at least 650 new signs for existing groups and others for expansion.
“The signs warn burglars or those acting suspiciously, people will report it. It gives the group profile and lets neighbours know that Neighbourhood Support is working in the area.”
As well as the signs, labels are being ordered to go on neighbourhood support members’ letterboxes, so people are able to say ‘hey, I’m here and I’m a member’.
The cost is about $13,600 for the signs and the labels and Rotorua Trust has supported with a contribution of $8,654.
For more information, contact:
Bruce Quedley,
Co-ordinator,
Neighbourhood Support Rotorua
(07) 349 9470