DAVID Cheatley is waving goodbye to Neighbourhood Watch Surf Coast after serving more than a decade as the group’s co-ordinator.<\/p>\n
Neighbourhood Watch Surf Coast started in 2003, but without Mr Cheatley, it may have ceased to exist just a few years later.<\/p>\n
Mr Cheatley said the way he became co-ordinator was quite unconventional.<\/p>\n
“I went along to the meetings that were held at the community house. One night there were about eight of us there and the co-ordinator resigned, as did his secretary. I looked at Graeme Daws beside me and he said ‘Well, you be the co-ordinator and I’ll be your treasurer’, and so that’s how we got involved, otherwise we thought it was going to fold.”<\/p>\n
In this spontaneous decision, Mr Cheatley not only offered the group a lifeline, he also unknowingly committed the next 15 years of his life to the role.<\/p>\n
But Mr Cheatley said he had no regrets.<\/p>\n
“It’s been terrific. I’ve had a lot of great fun, made a lot of friendships and had a tremendous amount of support from a small band of people who have wanted to keep Neighbourhood Watch going.”<\/p>\n
Since Mr Cheatley took on the role of co-ordinator, Neighbourhood Watch Surf Coast has begun various initiatives to help prevent crime in the area.<\/p>\n
They have helped people swap their numberplate screws for anti-theft screws, handed out fliers to visitors advising them to lock their cars and protect their valuables from opportunistic thieves, and run Coffee with a Cop sessions.<\/p>\n
The group used to distribute more than 25,000 copies of their newsletter per year. The newsletter now runs quarterly in the Surf Coast Times.<\/p>\n
Mr Cheatley said he was also grateful for the support Neighbourhood Watch Surf Coast had received from local branches of the Victoria Police, State Emergency Services, and Lions Club.<\/p>\n
He was hopeful the group would find a good replacement.<\/p>\n
“I’ll certainly miss the role, but I’ll be able to mentor anyone who wants to pick up the role if they need it.<\/p>\n
“I would highly recommend the role for someone who wants to give something back to our wonderful community.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
DAVID Cheatley is waving goodbye to Neighbourhood Watch Surf Coast after serving more than a decade as the group’s co-ordinator. Neighbourhood Watch Surf Coast started in 2003, but without Mr Cheatley, it may have ceased to exist just a few years later. Mr Cheatley said the way he became co-ordinator was quite unconventional. “I went […]<\/p>\n