Learning about community safety was the order of the day recently, when residents aged 50+ from the Pengam area had the opportunity to attend a special safety themed event.
The Cheese and Crime event was held recently at Lewis School Pengam, and enabled residents aged 50+ to learn more about home and community safety issues.
Over 100 people came along to the event, which featured a short play courtesy of Sixth Form pupils from Lewis School Pengam on the dangers associated with doorstep rogue traders, bogus callers and tips on how to prevent becoming a victim.
Officers from Gwent Police, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Community Safety Wardens and Trading Standards and various other agencies were also on hand.
They provided lots of important safety information, advice and tips on keeping safe, both in the home and when out in the community, as well as information on income maximisation.
Cllr Lyn Ackerman, cabinet member for the environment said, “This series of events have proven extremely popular and useful in providing important safety advice and information to some of our older community members.
There are often warnings in the press about scams and bogus callers, and I hope that the advice provided at these events will go some way to help empower residents to be able to say ‘no’ should they ever find themselves in a similar situation with doorstep callers.”
Pengam ward officer, PC Bethan Sturgess, said: “The play that pupils from Lewis School Pengam performed was excellent, and really helped to demonstrate what you should and shouldn’t do if you have a potential rogue trader at your door. We gave out lots of advice to residents on the day, and we hope that they have taken away some useful information that they can put into practice.”
The event was promoted by the Community Partnership and Communities First Partnerships located within the school’s catchment area, and organised by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Community Regeneration Team.
It was funded by the Safer Caerphilly Community Safety Partnership as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Reassurance for Older People initiative.
