Nominate your local hero!

The Neighbourhood Watch Volunteer Recognition Awards nominations are now open.

This week is Volunteer Week and the National Neighbourhood Watch organisation have opened the nominations for their Volunteer Recognition Awards.

They want to celebrate the great and unique work that their volunteers do in communities and recognise individuals whose work goes above and beyond the usual expectations.

The categories are:

1) Innovation and Reach:

This category celebrates the innovative way a volunteer brings their community together:

🔹Do you know a Coordinator or Neighbourhood Watch group who have overcome challenges to grow their group?
🔹They might have thought of a unique way to connect with others or have created effective new partnerships.
🔹They might have considered an innovative way to encourage new members to join or ensure diversity and inclusion shine through.
🔹Are there neighbours that traditionally would not have joined but did because they helped them feel included?

2) Crime Prevention:

This category celebrates volunteers who support their neighbours to be stronger, more resilient and safer by raising awareness of crime prevention:

🔹Do you know of a Coordinator or Neighbourhood Watch group who have done something different to help prevent crime?
🔹Do people feel safer from something they were involved in and want to recognise the Coordinator or group for their actions?
🔹Are there examples of how working with partners helped prevent crime? Has the Coordinator or group raised awareness of crimes in different ways to encourage the whole community to be involved?
🔹This could include working with youth groups, supporting vulnerable people to be more aware of crime, developing inventive ways to reduce crime in the community or fear of crime.

3) Community Health and Wellbeing:

This category celebrates Neighbourhood Watch groups and Coordinators who have gone the extra mile to look out for the needs of their neighbours and neighbourhood:

🔹How do you and your neighbours feel about your area?
🔹Do you look after your local environment?
🔹Do you support each other through life's ups and downs or those who are more vulnerable?
🔹Do you know of a Neighbourhood Watch group or Coordinator who encourages positive community values?
🔹Do they include people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities in activities?
🔹Do they show compassion, empathy, and kindness?
🔹Do they help local people to feel better about their area?

4) Young People’s Volunteer Award:

This category celebrates young volunteers aged 16 - 24 years old who have been making a difference in their neighbourhood and community:

🔹Do you know a young person who has been volunteering with Neighbourhood Watch and making a positive impact in their community?
🔹Maybe they've been holding fundraising activities with their school or college, or have supported organising litter picks, street parties or other events.

5) Special Recognition Award:

This category celebrates a Neighbourhood Watch volunteer who has gone above and beyond to make a difference in their neighbourhood or area:

🔹Do you know a volunteer who has exceeded standard day-to-day expectations, and has committed their time and efforts towards improving their area and the life of their community?
🔹This person may have been volunteering with Neighbourhood Watch for a number of years, or they may be a fantastic asset to your community but do not fall into the other Award categories.
🔹This award could recognise the work of a Neighbourhood Watch Association or committee member that has supported you and deserves the recognition.
🔹It could be a Cyberhood Watch Ambassador that has gone the extra mile to support communities against being victims of online scams.
🔹The only stipulation for this category is that the person or group is a Neighbourhood Watch Volunteer or group.

How to nominate:

Nominations can be made online at: https://www.ourwatch.org.uk/volunteerawards

You can nominate as many deserving Neighbourhood Watch volunteers as you wish, however please ensure you only nominate the same person for each category once.

Nominations must be received no later than 5pm on Sunday 6th July 2025.

Neighbourhood Watch is the largest volunteer-led crime prevention charity in England and Wales. With over 60,000 active volunteers and over 2 million supporter households, they work across local communities and regions to empower and educate people, as well as to bring communities together