We would like to take this opportunity to wish all residents of Bellingdon & Asheridge, plus the Hilltop Villages, and all those who use our village hall a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.

Our first pub night of 2020 (Friday 24th Jan) will be during Village Halls Week (20-26th Jan), a national celebration of Village Halls, so we look forward to seeing lots of people there. More details will follow nearer the time. As ever, all help is welcome so do get in touch if you have some spare time and would like to chip in.

We’re starting to think about the fete too, so watch this space for news about forthcoming planning meetings and please do consider getting involved. As ever, it can only happen with the assistance of many many people.

In the next (March) newsletter we hope to be able to present the results of our survey of village hall users. We hope that by giving the community an opportunity to share its views we can ensure the survival of our amazing village asset. Every adult resident of Bellingdon & Asheridge is automatically a member of the community association and has the right to vote at the AGM – sadly attendance at the AGM in recent years has been poor – but we hope to enthuse people further by taking on board views and ideas. The survey is available until 31st December if you haven’t yet completed it and would like to: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/F9T566Y

Many thanks to all the volunteers who help out at the fete and community events such as the recent Christmas celebrations, as well as the voluntary trustees who keep the whole thing going.

Hopefully everyone has a peaceful, healthy and happy Festive Season and we’ll see you in 2020.

We’ve just discovered a number of emails have not been getting through to our village hall bookings email address, please accept our apologies if you’ve been trying to get in touch with us – we’ve been able to send but not receive.

Santas Cyber Elves have now helpfully sorted everything out so we will try and catch up asap. Once again our apologies for any frustration caused and we wish all hall users a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

With the dark nights and mornings upon us, we expect the number of burglaries to increase during the winter season. To tackle these criminals it is important that we work together in trying to prevent and reduce crime.

From looking at recent crimes we have found that in a large number of recent cases burglars are using items from the garden to gain entry into houses.

The impact of having your house burgled is immense both financially and mentally. Yet it is common for us to delay doing things until a close friend or yourself has been subjected to such an attack. Having the time or money to buy security measures can also be a reason.

I have listed below a number of security top tips. How many boxes do you tick with your security?

1: Make it appear that someone is at home.
Leave a light and the radio on when the nights draw in. Use a fake TV light device.
Use timer switches.
Do you have an internet assistant e.g. Alexa? Some have a new security App so try it out.
Make sure your doors and windows are properly closed and have British Standard locks.

2: Improve your security
Camera Doorbell as most burglars will knock first. This is about the cheapest way to get CCTV.
Install an SSAIB or NSI alarm or at least have a fake box installed.
Get motion sensors inside your house so you can see if something is wrong whilst you are away from the address.
Install CCTV or consider CCTV signs depending on your budget.
Improve your locks and get window film to stop windows easily being smashed.
Advertise your property is security marked. Use SMARTWATER /Selecta DNA window stickers.

3: Do not display your wealth
Performance cars will often be targeted if you have a top end car lock it in the garage.
Do not have your keys on display on the sideboard. Keys can be fished through letter boxes.
Get a letterbox guard or cage.
Just who are you updating with the Facebook Posts when you are on holiday.
Asian gold is being targeted. What identifies your house as a place likely to have such gold?
Do not keep large amounts of cash at home.
As Christmas is approaching try to make sure that presents are not visible to anyone outside.

4: Consider the garden
Consider a ‘beware of the dog’ sign or dog bowl will make the burglar think twice.
Padlock the gate and close the front gates.
Secure your fences. Trellis is a great obstacle for burglars due to it most likely collapsing, consider cheap spikey fence options like prickly strip (make sure you put the signs up) This is a real cheap option and can result in us getting suspects DNA.
Plant prickly plants at tactical places around the garden boundary.
Burglars can use large ornaments or rocks or garden tools to break in, so look to remove opportunities and make sure you securely lock away any tools after use.

5: Look out for your neighbours
Join NHW.
Set up a no door step selling zone. Eliminate a reason for burglars to knock on your door.
Speak to your neighbours and tell them if workmen are coming or you are going away.
Be a good neighbour and conduct checks if your neighbours are going away.
And finally if you see something suspicious call it in to the police. You know your area best!

To beat the burglar we need to work with the most important partner in tackling crime, You the public. I hope that you will take the first step in helping us to help you create a safer, more resilient and friendly neighbourhood for you all to live in.

As Shaw Taylor would say “Keep em peeled!”. Have a safe and Merry Christmas.

Police Sergeant Darren Walsh
Amersham Neighbourhood Policing team

**LAST CHANCE TO COMPLETE OUR SURVEY – CLOSES ONLINE TOMORROW**

Bellingdon and Asheridge Community Association (BAACA) would like to ask the communities of Bellingdon and Asheridge, plus non-resident users of the village hall for their opinions on the activities currently available at the hall, the upkeep of the facilities and their priorities for the future. 

We’d be very grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete the survey. If you have any questions or additional feedback you can email contact@bellingdon.com. 

There are some printed copies in the hall foyer. If there are no printed copies left, please contact us and we’ll send you one or please complete the survey online.

The survey will be available online at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/F9T566Y until the end of December 2019, and all paper forms should be returned to Stoney Croft, HP5 2XU or the box at  the hall by 31st December 2019. 

Please take this opportunity to make your voice heard. It won’t take much of your time. We’ll report back the results in the Spring Newsletter.