Southbank Neighbourhood Watch to launch at BBQ in the park

Southbank Neighbourhood Watch to launch at BBQ in the park

The City of Melbourne’s very first Neighbourhood Watch group will be launched this October in Southbank. 

To kickstart the inaugural Neighbourhood Watch a barbecue will be held on October 20 at Sturt Street Reserve between 12pm and 3pm. 

The event will connect residents with local Victoria Police officers, Crime Stoppers, and the Crime Prevention Unit to help inform them of the best way to prevent crime within the area and how to join the Neighbourhood Watch. 

“It’s about bringing the community together, community connection, having some fun and promoting safety,” event organiser Christopher Milner said. 

BBQ in the Park coincides with Children’s Week, which is a national celebration that recognises the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children.

This year’s theme is “Children Have a Right to a Safe and Clean Environment” and Mr Milner said a big focus for the event was to honour this. 

There will be giant bubbles and face painting for kids, giveaways and a free raffle, but none of this would be possible without the help of local businesses and the City of Melbourne. 

Lord Mayor Nick Reece, Neighbourhood Watch Victoria’s Nikoll Peschek and Snr Sergeants Alex O’Toole and Jay McDonald from Southbank Police Station gathered at Sturt Street Reserve in September to help promote the event to the community. 

With the support of a $2000 Connected Neighbourhood grant from the council alongside donations from the likes of Woolworths, Coles, IGA, Chemist Warehouse and Bunnings, Mr Milner said it had given him faith in the community. 

But the event organiser is still the only member of Southbank’s Neighbourhood Watch, and he is calling on residents to show their support for the initiative to continue to make Southbank safer. 

In July, Ms Peschek told Southbank News that Neighbourhood Watch groups were essential in helping educate residents on how to prevent crime.

Ms Peschek said that due to the number of apartments in Southbank, the area was prone to storage area break-ins, bike theft, car crime and mail theft but the number one way to prevent this is knowing your neighbour. 

With community and safety at the heart of Mr Milner’s mission, BBQ at the Park is a great way for the community to connect and make sure it is safe as it can be. •

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