CONTACT; VOLUNTEERS CONNECTING UP TO SERVICE
A project aimed at giving people better access to police, health and Council services has been
launched in Cottingley.
It is hoped, too, that the scheme can cut crime in the village.
Volunteers - including Bradford Council leader Margaret Baton - will staff a community contact point
in St Michael's Church Hall at the Littlelands Resource Centre one day each week.
They will support the police in their community work and provide a base for people to report crimes
and pass concerns on to relevant agencies.
And they will have information on Council and health services. Six volunteers have signed up and
organisers are looking for 18 more.
Inspector Tony Walker, of Keighley police, said the contact point would help reduce the fear of
crime in Cottingley
"The contact point is to make police and Council services more familiar, available and accessible
at the heart of the community and the key to success is the support and time given by the community
to the running of the project," he said. "This gives the community a chance to make a difference
in areas that matter to them."
Bradford Council leader Councillor Margaret Eaton (Con, Bingley Rural), has volunteered for the
project. She said: "As a resident of Cottingley I'm very proud to have volunteered for the contact
point.
"I think the Council, where it can, can help facilitate things to improve people's circumstances
in Cottingley
"But for this venture to work here we're going to need volunteers. We have got to get the message
across to people that the community is saying 'we are here and we are supporting each other'.
"This is the beginning of a journey and we want people in the future to say there are no vandalism
or crime problems in Cottingley and it is a wonderful place to live."
Howard Clough, chairman of the Cottingley Community Association, said: "This is the first step
to help make Cottingley a safer place.
The project is jointly funded by Bradford Council and West Yorkshire Police so that rooms can be
redecorated and refurbished at the centre and to buy computer equipment.
It will officially open when the work has been done and will offer services one day a week.
The Cottingley contact point follows a successful pilot scheme at
Haworth and the opening of another contact point in Denholme.
A contact point was to open in Cullingworth today and others are planned for Baildon, Saltaire,
Silsden, Wyke and Wibsey this year.
People who are interested in becoming volunteers at the contact point should contact Inspector
Walker on 07796 440769 or e-mail him at AW176@westyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.
