Keeping in touch with local people has been a driving force with the Craven Arms Local Policing team – and this even involves dropping into a local coffee morning!
The team is made up of Police Constable Lynne Edwards and Community Support Officer Lisa Thomas.
They have both worked hard at getting to know the community in Craven Arms and the surrounding villages, having established several local surgeries for residents to air their views and concerns.
Lisa said they had been regularly attending surgeries in the village hall at Culmington and at the Harry Tuffins café in Craven Arms for more than a year.
She said: “We attend the Tuesday coffee morning at Culmington at least one a month. There are always about 10 or 15 people there and it’s an ideal way of keeping in touch with people from the village. They can raise any issues which are on their minds and we can keep then informed on any policing matters of interest.
“It’s a similar situation at the Tuffins café in Craven Arms. We can pop in and talk to people over a cup of tea. It’s a case of trying to meet people halfway – we are going out to them so they don’t have to make a special effort to come to us.
“Getting to know people will be a big help if ever they need to phone. We won’t be strangers on the end of the line but, hopefully, someone they have already met and got to know a little bit,” she said.
Lisa is also a regular caller to the Craven Arms school homework club, finding it an ideal opportunity to meet local youngsters.
And she also makes the occasional visit to the town’s Mothers and Toddlers pre-school group.
More recently, she had been making efforts to learn a few basic Polish phrases.
“We have several Polish families living in the area and I think it is important to be able to hold a little conversation in their language.
“The opportunity to learn some Polish phrases arose from a minorities’ group meeting which was a joint initiative involving Craven Arms Town Council and South Shropshire Housing. I also carry a card round with me containing some basic Polish words,” she added.
The national Neighbourhood Policing Awareness Fortnight is currently running.
