To use their helplines please click on this link: https://www.itv.com/thismorning/helplines
Hertfordshire is generally a safe and tolerant county. However like other areas, hate crimes can occur and many of them go unreported to the police. A website providing information about how and where to report hate crime has been launched in Hertfordshire. www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/hertsagainsthate
The website has been written in easy-to-read language to ensure it’s widely accessible, including for people with lower literacy levels.
The pages have been designed to be easily translatable to reach people whose second language may be English, and who may be at higher risk from hate crime.
A hate crime is any crime that is targeted against a person because of their:
Not every crime committed against a person in one of these groups is a hate crime. It is only a hate crime if the offender targeted that person because of this reason. If a crime happened, but not because of a person’s race/gender/religion etc. then it’s not a hate crime.
Hate crimes can take almost any form. Assaults, harassment or damage to property can all be hate crimes, if the victim was targeted for one of the reasons above. They can take place anywhere – in the street, on a bus, at work, at school or online.
You can report to the police directly, or you can speak to a third party. You can even report anonymously.
If you want to report to the police or contact your local Hate Crime Officer, call 101 or go online at www.herts.police.uk/report. In an emergency always call 999.
The police in Hertfordshire have dedicated Hate Crime Officers, who deal with hate incidents and offer support to victims of hate crime.
You can request the support of a Hate Crime Officer or LGBT+ Liaison Officer when you report to the police.
They can meet victims in a place where they feel comfortable and safe, explain options and assist them throughout an investigation, or if the case goes to court.
The police also have specially trained LGBT+ Liaison Officers who provide support to people from the LGBT+ community. They work to encourage the reporting of hate crimes and give advice and support to victims and witnesses.
Hertfordshire Beacon offers victim care services to all victims of crime in the county, whether or not the victim has reported the matter to police.
Their services are free, and vulnerable or repeat victims receive an enhanced care package. If you have been a victim of crime, you can speak with a member of their victim service team on 03000 11 55 55
To contact the team via email please contact info@hertfordshirebeacon.org
Some people might think that reporting a hate crime is not important. They might be embarrassed to talk about it, scared of the consequences from the offender, or believe they won’t be taken seriously.
Hate crimes can leave people feeling unsafe or scared to go out, and cause fear and mistrust amongst different parts of the community.
However, authorities in Hertfordshire (and the UK) take hate crime very seriously. You will always be listened to and treated sensitively if you choose to report to the police.
Watford is facing some difficult decisions about the future, which is why it’s important you tell Watford Borough Council what you think at watfordlocalplan.co.uk
Since Friday 7th September, Watford residents have been able to get involved by completing a survey. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday 19th October 2018.
The government has said Watford must provide 770 new homes every year up until 2036, with the population expected to increase by 110,811 in 2036 (15% rise from 2018). Whilst saying no to growth is not an option, the council wants to work with residents and businesses to decide how best to manage it and shape the town for the future.
The new Local Plan will set out a vision for Watford up to 2036. It will replace documents called the Watford Local Plan Part 1 – Core Strategy (2013) and the Watford District Plan 2000.
What will the new Local Plan include?
The new Local Plan will contain policies to guide planning decisions and new development. It will set out how many jobs are needed in the borough and where housing can go.
Why is a Local Plan important?
The government requires all councils to have a Local Plan in place and these should be updated every five years. It is important for Watford to have an up to date Local Plan to help ensure that new development will come forward in a way the meets the needs of the growing community in the future.
What happens if the Local Plan is not up to date?
If Watford Borough Council does not have an up to date Local Plan in place there is a risk that planning decisions will not be made by the council but by the government. If this takes place there will be less understanding of the local community and what is most appropriate to meet their needs and aspirations.
How long will the new Local Plan take to prepare?
The Local Plan will take about two years to complete. This consultation is the first stage and sets out what Watford Borough Council believe are the key issues and choices.
There are 30 questions in this consultation. Some of these are split into sections to ask about different aspects of an issue. The question responses you provide will help inform the new Local Plan.
Once this first stage of the consultation has been completed, the results will be analysed and a Draft Local Plan, which will include draft policies intended to deal with future applications for development will be put together. Towards the end of 2019, a consultation on the Draft Local Plan itself will be held, asking for your views on the proposals suggested.
Some difficult decisions need to be made about the future of our town. That is why it is important you get involved at this crucial stage at watfordlocalplan.co.uk
We all had such a good time at our coffee morning which was held yesterday (Friday 28th October) in aid of Macmillan’s Biggest Coffee Morning. We had over twenty people call in throughout the morning with Michael being our first keen visitor to arrive.
Michael enjoying coffee and cake with Brenda
Some of the many residents we had throughout the morning
We had familiar faces and new ones and it was lovely to chat with everyone. There was a fun atmosphere probably helped by the games that we played like Place the Cherry on the Cake (also enjoyed by our Mayor Peter Taylor) and Guess the weight of the Cake. The winners of these games were Sameera and Amanda who was visiting from Green Minds, congratulations!
Mayor Peter Taylor enjoying the “Place the cherry on the cake” game
Local resident Kay also having fun with the game
We had some very yummy cakes (thank you to those of you who donated cakes) and special drinks available like Toffee Apple latte, Roasted Marshmallow latte and Hot Chocolate with cream and marshmallows!
John choosing from our amazing selection of yummy cakes
Thank you to everyone who gave so generously, even people that could not attend sent a donation. So far, we have raised £150.
If you would still like to donate, you can do so by texting JAM RMG1 to 70550 – this automatically donates £5.
Updated 26-9-2018
We are delighted to report that a new temporary six month bus service serving the Meriden Estate will commence on Monday 1st October.
Hertfordshire County Council agreed to fund four new services, run by Red Eagle, W1, W2, W3 and W4, while a permanent tender is agreed. In addition, the UNO 635 service between Watford General Hospital and Hitchin will now also run through the Meriden.
This follows a long campaign to stop Arriva from cancelling the 324 bus service through the Meriden. A meeting was held yesterday (September 20th) at Hertfordshire County Council, where petitions from the Liberal Democrats and Labour Party to reinstate a bus service to the estate were handed over.
The W1 bus will run from Kingswood via the Meriden to Watford hourly at peak times from Monday to Friday.
The W2 will run from the Meriden to the town centre from Monday to Friday hourly at off-peak hours.
The W3 and W4 will run on a Saturday every 30 minutes in opposite directions via the Meriden and Watford town centre.
If you are catching a bus back to the Meriden from the town centre the bus stops that all four Red Eagle services pick up from are as follows:
For the UNO 635 the stops are:
Arriva’s new 520 service, which replaces the 324, will run between Maple Cross and Hemel Hempstead via Watford from September 30. It will not run through the Meriden.
We at the MRA would like to thank all those involved in organising and collecting signatures for the petition and all those who represented the Meriden residents in persuading the HCC to fund these temporary services.
The W1 service runs Monday to Friday, with two buses in the morning and two in the afternoon/evening towards the town centre. There is one bus in the morning and three in the afternoon/evening towards Kingswood. During school term times one of the morning buses and one of the afternoon buses terminate and begin at Francis Combe Academy instead of the North Orbital road (Variants 2 and 4). During school holidays the buses follow the normal route to Kingswood.
The Meriden section of the route is given as The Gossamers – York Way – Meriden Way – Westlea Avenue (Variants 1 and 2 towards Watford town centre) and Westlea Avenue – Meriden Way – York Way – The Gossamers (Variants 3 and 4 towards Kingswood/Francis Combe).
The only times given for Meriden bus stops are for the bus stops in The Gossamers opposite the shops. Heading to the town centre the times are 7:05 and 8:39 in the morning as well as 15:54 and 17:24 in the afternoon/evening. Heading to Kingswood/Francis Combe there is one W1 bus in the morning at 8:00 and three buses to Kingswood in the afternoon/evening at 16:49, 18:19 and 19:18.
Note that whilst on the way into town the last two stops are in Beechen Grove and the High Street, on the way back to the Meriden the bus stops are in Market Street and Clarendon Road.
Variant 1: Kingsway North Orbital Road, Sheepcot Lane, St Albans Road, Garston Lane, The Gossamers, York Way, Meriden Way, Westlea Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, St Albans Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road, Beechen Grove, Water Lane, High Street.
Variant 2: Horseshoe Lane, St Albans Road, Garston Lane, The Gossamers, York Way, Meriden Way, Westlea Avenue, Woodmere Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, St Albans Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road, Beechen Grove, Water Lane, High Street.
Variant 3: Market Street, Exchange Road, Beechen Grove, Clarendon Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Langley Road, St Albans Road, Bushey Mill Lane, Woodmere Avenue, Westlea Avenue, Meriden Way, York Way, The Gossamers, Garston Lane, St Albans Road, Sheepcot Lane, Kingsway North Orbital
Variant 4: Market Street, Exchange Road, Beechen Grove, Clarendon Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Langley Road, St Albans Road, Bushey Mill Lane, Woodmere Avenue, Westlea Avenue, Meriden Way, York Way, The Gossamers, Garston Lane, St Albans Road, Horseshoe Lane.
The W2 will run Monday – Friday between 9:23 and 14:57 approximately once per hour. Aside from the first W2 service of the day, this bus route starts and finishes in the town centre. On the Meriden estate it takes a circular route along Phillapers and back down The Gossamers. This means that bus stops on only one side of the road will be used. The Meriden section of the route is listed as Westlea Avenue – Meriden Way – York Way – Phillipers – The Gossamers – York Way – Meriden Way – Westlea Avenue. The timetable below gives times for bus stops in York Way (onto the estate), in Phillipers near Tibbles Close and the bus stop in the Gossamers opposite the shops. The times for the bus stop in York Way are given as 9:23, 10:13, 11:13, 12:13, 13:13 and 14:43. The other stops will be a few minutes after these times.
As with the W1, this route starts in the town centre at Market Street Stop J and Clarendon Road Stop S but ends at Beechen Grove stop M and High Street stop E/F.
Variant 1: Market Street, Exchange Road, Beechen Grove, Clarendon Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road, St John’s Road, Orphanage Road, Radlett Road, Balmoral Road, Knutsford Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, Woodmere Avenue, Meriden Way, York Way, Phillipers, The Gossamers, York Way, Meriden Way, Westlea Avenue, Woodmere Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, Knutsford Avenue, Balmoral Road, Radlett Road, Orphanage Road, Woodford Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road, Beechen Grove, Water Lane, High Street.
Variant 2: Market Street, Exchange Road, Beechen Grove, Clarendon Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road, St John’s Road, Orphanage Road, Radlett Road, Balmoral Road, Knutsford Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, Woodmere Avenue, Meriden Way, York Way, Phillipers, The Gossamers, York Way, Meriden Way, Westlea Avenue, Woodmere Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, Radlett Road, Stephenson Way, A411,, Beechen Grove, Water Lane, High Street.
The W3 and W4 are Saturday services to and from the town centre. The Gossamers is part of a circular section of the route with the W3 stopping at the bus stop on the opposite side of the road to the shops and the W4 stopping at the bus stop on the same side of the road as the shops.
The times given for the W3 in The Gossamers opposite the shops are: 7:35, 8:25, 8:52 and then 52 minutes past the hour until the last W3 at 15:52.
The times given for the W4 in The Gossamers on the same side of the road as the shops are 21 minutes past the hour from 9:21 until 15:21 and then 16:51, 17:50 and 18:48.
In the town centre both of these services begin at Market Street, Stop J and end at Clarendon Road, Stop A.
W3: Market Street, Exchange Road, Beechen Grove, Clarendon Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Langley Road, St Albans Road, Garston Lane, The Gossamers, York Way, Meriden Way, Westlea Avenue, Woodmere Avenue, Bushey Mill Lane, St Albans Road, Langley Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road.
W4: Market Street, Exchange Road, Beechen Grove, Clarendon Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Langley Road, St Albans Road, Bushey Mill Lane, Woodmere Avenue, Westlea Avenue, Meriden Way, York Way, The Gossamers, Garston Lane, St Albans Road, Langley Road, Station Road, Watford Junction Interchange, Woodford Road, Station Road, Clarendon Road.
The UNO 635 will run Monday to Friday, except on public holidays, between Watford General Hospital and Hatfield, and between Hatfield and Hitchin Railway Station. There is a short, 5-10 minute, break between these two sections of the route but passengers can stay on the same bus for the entire route. On the way into town, the bus is scheduled to stop at the bus stop in the Gossamers on the opposite side of the road to the shops. On the way to Hatfield/Hitchin, the bus will stop on the same side of the road as the shops.
The times given for the bus stops in the Gossamers opposite the shops are as follows:
Heading in to town (opposite side of the road to the shops): 5:52, 6:49, 7:20, 8:27, 9:43, 11:43, 13:13, 14:13, 14:43, 16:32, 17:21, 18:04, 19:23
Heading to Hatfield/Hitchin (same side of the road as the shops): 6:46, 7:51, 8:40, 9:50, 10:55, 12:55, 14:25, 15:25, 16:03, 17:53, 18:45. 19:27, 20:41
The timetables below are available to download from http://www.buscms.com/uno/uploadedfiles/pdftimetable/635_UN59.pdf
Neighbourhood Watch is a wonderful way of keeping our communities safe, they do this by working with our community safety partners and our residents to strengthen the communities in which we live, share information about crime and safety, and by looking out for one another.
Whilst everyone may not have an email address those that do can join the Online Watch Link system called OWL at https://www.owl.co.uk/
Through emails you will receive information from Hertfordshire Constabulary about issues that may impact on your community, or about local community safety events, and there will be advice on keeping your home, family and friends safe & secure.
We had a fun time on Friday 7th September 2018, doing an impromptu Table Top Sale outside our Meriden Residents Association Hub.
It was great to have the opportunity to chat with some new people both at our regular Coffee Morning and at the sale, both of which were happening at the same time.
Four tables packed full of great bargains, including ornaments, jewellery, books, handbags and games.
Interest in a selection of plates with various birds and designs.
Some of our regular coffee morning group enjoying refreshments, chatting and listening to music.
We would like to say a big thank you to Colin who apart from making a purchase, made a generous donation to the MRA funds.
Our Coffee Morning is on every Friday from 9.30am to 12.00noon, do pop in one week. On Friday 28th September, we will be holding it in support of Macmillan – The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning. More details of this event can be found in our ‘Upcoming Events’ section and on our Facebook page.
Our next open meeting is at 7:30pm on Friday 14th September at the Meriden Community Centre. This meeting is open to all Meriden residents so please put this event in your diary and join us on the night. Doors will open at 7pm for refreshments and Meriden Residents who attend will be entered into a raffle to win a £25 Intu gift voucher.
At this time the topics under discussion are:
We had a good time at Watford Community Sports & Education Trust’s event for the National Citizenship Service (NCS) which was held at Meriden Community Centre yesterday.
All set up, and ready to go
Lots of interest
Featuring the winner of our adult’s jar of sweets competition, Carole
As we had so many items donated (thank you), we ended up with three tables!
Congratulations to our raffle and competition winners, Neelam (signed football from Watford Football Club), Mary (1st prize teddy), Reece (2nd prize teddy), Carole (adult’s jar of sweets), Harley and Issac (children’s jar of sweets).
Thank you to all those of you that came along to support us.
We now look forward to our next event – watch this space!
We all had a fantastic day trip to Southend. We set off in three coaches, taking 162 residents with us. The weather was beautiful and we spent a lovely day on the beach, on the pier, walking along the prom, having fish & chips, ice cream, cups of tea and going into Sealife Adventure. Everyone said what a great day they had.
The MRA would like to thank our locally elected County Councillor, Kareen Hastrick, who funded one coach out of her County Council Locality Budget for Community Projects. Thanks too to Sophie from Watford Community Housing who also helped secure funding for a second coach. The MRA was able to fund the third coach plus entry into Sealife Adventure. Receiving the funding made this trip possible for so many people.
Here are photos of some of the people that came on the trip and some of the animals/fish that we saw in Sealife.
