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volunteering

Parish Safety Volunteers

Parish Safety VolunteerParish Safety Volunteers

Essex Police and Essex County Fire & Rescue Service are working together to help make a difference in local communities, helping people to live & feel safer.  They are launching a brand new volunteer scheme and are looking to recruit two Parish Safety Volunteers per Parish in Essex, tasked with arranging and conducting home safety visits.  These volunteers will deliver crucial fire and crime prevention advice, extensive knowledge of local support services and the ability to fit smoke detectors directly into the homes of those most in need.

If you’re interested, you’ll need to apply for interview and be required to undertake Essex Police vetting. You will receive comprehensive training from both Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police, a full uniform and all equipment required to carry out the role. To ensure volunteers are well supported, Parish Safety Volunteers from across the county will be invited to on-going training and networking opportunities throughout the year.

Scheme Information

1. What is the purpose of the Parish Safety Volunteer Scheme?

The purpose of this initiative is to make local communities safer, more resilient and better protected from fire and crime. It will do this by:

  • Reducing accidental dwelling fires in the parishes in which Parish Safety Volunteers operate.
  • Reducing burglaries in the parishes in which Parish Safety Volunteers operate.
  • Making people feel safer in the parishes in which Parish Safety Volunteers operate.

2. Why are Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service working together on this?

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service alongside Essex Police have a joint desire to increase community resilience and support the building of stronger communities in Essex.

2. What will Parish Safety Volunteers deliver in their Parishes?

Parish Safety Volunteers will be required to…

  • Conduct Parish Safety Visits and deliver Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service approved advice and support.
  • Have a comprehensive understanding of what support is already offered in the Parish and be able to signpost accordingly.
  • Be able to fit smoke detectors in the homes of local residents.
  • Participate in activities in order to generate Parish Safety Visits and promote awareness of the scheme in their Parish.

4. What else will Parish Safety Volunteers be expected to do whilst volunteering?

Parish Safety Volunteers will be expected to…

  • Liaise with Essex County Fire and Rescue Service in order to arrange visits and confirm volunteering availability.
  • Keep and maintain the Parish Safety Volunteer equipment provided by Essex Police and Essex County Fire and Rescue Service.
  • Attend Parish Safety Volunteer group information, training, review and update sessions
  • Complete the paperwork required of Parish Safety Volunteers and return it within the agreed timeframe.
  • Adhere to the policies, expectations and procedures required by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police at all times.

5. How will Parish Safety Volunteers find individuals requiring a visit?

Referrals will be generated by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police, through the processes already used by the organisations to arrange home safety visits.

Referrals will also be generated by Parish Safety Volunteers themselves, as they will be promoting the service and already have some local knowledge of areas and individuals that would benefit from a PSV visit.

6. How will Parish Safety Volunteers interact with the Parish Council?

Parish Safety Volunteers will not require co-ordination or management from Parish Councils as Essex County Fire and Rescue Service will provide all support needed.

However, we will set up a direct line of communication between Parish Safety Volunteers and Parish Councils. This could mean that volunteers attend Parish Council Meetings to update on progress and activity. It could also mean a telephone or email update from volunteers. This will be a local arrangement tailored to the needs of the Parish Council in question and established when the scheme is introduced to the Parish.

7. How will Essex County Fire and Rescue Service and Essex Police keep Parish Councils updated on the PSV Scheme?

ECFRS will send a bi-monthly progress update to all Parish Councils for whom the Parish Safety Co-ordinator holds contact details. This will be sent on approximately the final day of the month.

8. How will we know what impact the Parish Safety Volunteers have on their Parish?

The Parish Safety Volunteer Co-ordinator will carry out a robust evaluation of the PSV scheme. This will be completed in by October 2016.

9. Key Contact

Parish Safety Volunteer Co-ordinator: Essex County Fire and Rescue Service – Kieron Moir.

No: 01376 576237

Interested?

Please complete an application form, or get in touch using [email protected].

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Green Living – Food and Volunteering

Green Living – Food and Volunteering

Amongst other topics Food and Volunteering feature in Colchester Borough Council’s latest Green Living newsletter:

Save big on tasty food this summer

Are you planning tasty garden BBQs and picnics out?  Make your money go further – get the most from the food you buy, store and cook.  Find easy tips, recipes and more to help you Love Food and hate waste. Over the year it could save you £hundreds – perhaps enough to enjoy a family holiday!  Visit the Love Food hate waste website to find out more.

Share your Green Home experiences

If you’ve already started greening your home through heating, lighting or power initiatives, big or small, why not show it off to others wanting to save £££ on energy bills?  Register as a Green Open Home host for the forthcoming September event. A great way to share tips, techniques and experiences of green technologies, and discover new sustainable living ideas.  You can see homes in the Colchester have already registered on the Green Open Homes website which also gives you the opportunity to register your own home.

Fresh air, new friends, feel great

This summer and year-round there are lots of ways to enjoy Colchester’s great outdoors, while giving a little back too. Whether you’re a budding gardener, enjoy walking or want to get stuck in to something practical there’s a volunteering opportunity for you!  From the town to the countryside and however long you’d like to be involved including:

  • Volunteering as a Countryside Volunteer Ranger,
  • Health walk leader,
  • The Big Garden – organic community garden (pictured right),
  • Castle Park volunteers,
  • Conservation volunteers.

Find out more on the CBC website.

Go green – go online

Did you know? Going online for services is better for the environment and can save you money on travel, postage and through online discounts! Switch to take up core Council services online – whether you need to find information, make a payment or provide us with your details, its easy and secure with an online account. Plus if you need to, enjoy free friendly help at events borough-wide to brush-up your internet skills for shopping, finding local events, services and more.

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