Support the neighbourhood
Neighbourhood Support in Taihape is tottering and in need of some support.
Chairwoman and treasurer Jan Byford, secretary Marion Cleaver and co-ordinator Angela Oliver are all set to leave the organisation from July 1.
Olliver said the crime-fighting organisation began with about 20 people in 2012, set up with the help of the Manawatu branch of Neighbourhood Support, with her as co-ordinator from the start.
But now they’ve had enough and if nobody volunteers to fill the trio’s shoes, the support group will fold.
And that’s a state of affairs lamented by Taihape’s top cop Sergeant Mark Toms.
He said Neighbourhood Support was a valuable tool for police, enabling people to be the eyes and ears of the community when it came to reporting suspicious behaviour.
Neighbourhood Support had a room at the police station for its committee meetings and he sat on the committee, cementing the relationship between police and the group.
‘‘We need people reporting in to us,’’ he said. ‘‘So we’re waiting now for people to put their hands up.’’
Oliver said the group covered about 3000 people in Taihape itself and the surrounding district.
‘‘We found that because of our isolation, if we wanted to get things done, we had to do them ourselves. So we did.’’
But it was always difficult to persuade people to commit to street groups, which are the grassroots of the organisation.
Without the setting up of such groups, Neighbourhood Support
‘‘We found that because of our isolation, if we wanted to get things done, we had to do them ourselves. So we did.’’ Angela Oliver, Neighbourhood Support co-ordinator
was unable to function properly.
It did occur in some parts of town and country, but mostly people just didn’t seem to have the time, she said.
‘‘It always seems to be the same people helping out,’’ Oliver said. ‘‘We’re all volunteers, so really we rely on the community stepping up.’’
Olliver said Taihape was ‘‘a fabulous, supportive community’’.
Neighbourhood Support pitched in to help with the likes of transport to Whanganui for medical appointments or lifts to the shops, because lack of public transport was a continuing issue.
There were the usual other problems, like drugs and domestic violence, but the area stood out for its high numbers of elderly, which brings with it a whole other set of issues.
She said Neighbourhood Support helped ‘‘just by being there’’. ’’I’m a great believer in it.’’ Membership is free, but police vetting is required for officeholders in the organisation.