Improvements to Britain’s favourite website for information on neighbourhood watch are underway. The aim is to bring the site up-to-date, making it easier to use, packed with useful features and news items relevant to the neighbourhood watch movement.

The re-launch of neighbourhoodwatch.net will take place in the autumn.

A new charitable trust, the UK Neighbourhood Watch Trust, is in the process of being set up to administer the website. The day-to-day management of the site will be the responsibility of a team of communications professionals.

User-generated content will be an important element of the website and neighbourhood watch volunteers will be encouraged to give their views and share their experiences through the website. Downloads will also be available providing a range of materials on home and community security.

The new-look neighbourhoodwatch.net will be dedicated to building secure and confident communities through active citizenship.

The costs of running the site will come from carefully-selected advertisers and sponsors. It is hoped that, over time, neighbourhoodwatch.net will begin to generate a new source of funding for the neighbourhood watch movement. The allocation of grants and funds for local projects will be the responsibility of the UK Neighbourhood Watch Trust.

The domain neighbourhoodwatch.net will be transferred to the UK Neighbourhood Watch Trust as part of the winding up process of the National Neighbourhood Watch Association.

9th September, 2006