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Social media summary

Appeal regarding assault on bus: Image released following assault – Gerrards Cross | Thames Valley Police

 

Please see linked the weekly summary from our social media page.

 

 

 

The April 2024 edition of OUR NEWS is here

 

Here are some highlights in April's edition:

 

- The results from our National Crime and Community Survey 2023 are in and ready for you to read

 

- Recordings from our spring webinar series are now available

 

- It's time to get ready for Neighbourhood Watch Week and the Month of Community!

 

- You can win a £50 Shop voucher for sharing your community stories

 

 

We would also like to highlight that the NPCC (National Police Chief's Council) has launched a new app called Police.UK, which allows the public to report crimes and incidents, find out information about local policing teams, and access prevention advice and support for victims and witnesses of crime. You can read more about this here.

 

READ THE MARCH NEWSLETTER HERE.

 

 

Transform your street into a Play Street!

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Communities across Buckinghamshire are being invited to take advantage of a scheme which highlights the importance of outdoor play and encourages neighbours to spend time socialising together, promoting the benefits for health and wellbeing in all ages.

 

Play Streets invites residents from communities across the county to apply for permission, free of charge, to close their road for a few hours at a time so that they can come together outside their homes to socialise, reduce social isolation and play safely. The scheme is part of the national Playing Out initiative and has been running successfully in Buckinghamshire for several years. Roads are closed to traffic for the duration, but pedestrian access is allowed, and residents can enjoy spending time together outside their homes. 

 

Play Streets is particularly beneficial to children and young people in terms of their health and wellbeing and for reducing social isolation for adults. Figures for Buckinghamshire show:

 

• Only 48% of children and young people are reaching recommended activity levels of 60 minutes of activity per day.*
• Over 30% of children aged 10-11 years old are above a healthy weight.*
• Children's play is vital for happiness, physical and emotional development and social learning.
• Levels of loneliness rose more in Buckinghamshire than the national average during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly one quarter (24%) of adults felt lonely at least some of the time in 2021.

 

Many communities in Buckinghamshire have run Play Streets sessions previously and have found it to be both popular and beneficial. One resident commented: “The sense of community is definitely the best thing about it.” A child who took part voiced the simple pleasure that can be had by running an event. They said that the best part of the session for them was, “riding my bike with no cars around.”

 

With summer months approaching, communities are being encouraged to start applying now, to allow time for planning and paperwork to be completed. For more information visit the website

 

This project is part of the Opportunity Bucks programme, helping to improve outcomes for people in Buckinghamshire.

 

 

Social media summary

Please see linked the weekly summary from our social media page.

 

 

 

Bank Holiday bin collections across Buckinghamshire

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Residents in Buckinghamshire are being reminded to double check their refuse and recycling bin collection dates over the Easter Bank Holiday.

 

To ensure residents don’t miss their collection due to Bank Holiday changes, the council is reminding everyone to check the revised dates for their area. Collections due to take place on Good Friday, 29 March, will move to Saturday 30 March, and with no collections on Easter Monday, 1 April, all collections that week will take place one day later than usual. Please check the revised timetable online and present any bins or containers by 6:30am on the revised collection day.

 

Easter holidays are a great time to bond with your family and enjoy delicious food. To ensure you keep your Easter food waste and costs to a minimum, you can check out our handy online toolkit which includes a portion planner tool and recipes for Easter leftovers. Any food waste can be put in your food recycling bin and left out for collection on bin day. Most food waste can go in the food recycling bin but you can check on the council website to see what can and cannot be recycled.

 

Councillor Thomas Broom, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “Easter is the time to enjoy great food and the company of our loved ones while celebrating the beauty of spring. Easter eggs, like Christmas presents, can generate quite a lot of extra packaging to recycle. You can find advice on our website for what can be recycled, where it needs to go and even some handy tips for using leftovers creatively.”

 

In addition to the bin collection changes, the opening hours at all Household Recycling Centres (HRCs) across the county move to summer opening hours of 9am to 6pm from Monday 1 April. Please check your local site to find out which days they are open, as this varies according to each site.

 

For more information on all of Buckinghamshire’s HRCs please visit the website.

 

 

 

 

Over 22,000 email and social media account hacked

 

Data from Action Fraud, the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service, shows that 22,530 people reported that their online accounts had been hacked in 2023, with victims losing a total of £1.3 million.

 

How are accounts hacked?

 

On-platform chain hacking

 

This is when a fraudster gains control of an account and begins to impersonate the legitimate owner. The goal is to convince people to reveal authentication codes that are sent to them via text. Many victims of this type of hacking believe it’s a friend messaging them, however the shared code was associated with their own account and the impersonator can now use it to access their account. Usually when an account is taken over, fraudsters monetise control of the account via the promotion of various fraudulent schemes, while impersonating the original account owner.

 

Leaked passwords and phishing

 

The other predominant method of hacking reported is leaked information used from data breaches, such as leaked passwords, or account details gained via phishing scams. This becomes prevalent as people often use the same password for multiple accounts, so a leaked password from one website can leave many of their online accounts vulnerable to hacking.

 

How to secure your accounts

 

• Use a strong and different password for your email and social media accounts. Your email and social media passwords should be strong and different from all your other passwords. Combining three random words that each mean something to you is a great way to create a password that is easy to remember but hard to crack.
• Turn on 2-Step Verification (2SV) for your email and social media accounts. 2-Step Verification (2SV) gives you twice the protection so even if cyber criminals have your password, they can't access your email or social media account. 2SV works by asking for more information to prove your identity. For example, getting a code sent to your phone when you sign in using a new device or change settings such as your password. You won't be asked for this every time you check your email or social media.

 

 

If you live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, victims of fraud and cybercrime should report to Police Scotland on 101.

 

If you receive a suspicious email, you can report it by forwarding the email to: report@phishing.gov.uk.

 

 

Police & Crime Panel Violence Against Women & Girls Task & Finish Group publishes results

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ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE THAMES VALLEY POLICE AND CRIME PANEL

Cllr Shaista Aziz, Chair of the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Task and Finish Group, spoke about their recent findings: 

 

The work of the Task and Finish Group has been conducted through the lens of intersectionality, because we understand victims and survivors of VAWG are not treated equally and many struggle to find support and help and face additional barriers to reporting incidents to the police and finding pathways to justice redress, support, and healing.

 

We ensured the Task and Finish Group centred the voices and myriad of lived experiences of women and girls across the Thames Valley region, by reaching out to as many specialists as possible to attend our sessions so they could give voice to victims and survivors experiences. We are also grateful to students from Cherwell School, Oxford, who attended a session and asked questions. It is important for us to hear the voices of young people and understand how they relate to and understand and experience the issue of VAWG.

 

The final detailed recommendations as outlined in the report have been co-produced with those who gave testimony in the sessions. I would like to extend my thanks on behalf of the Task and Finish Group to everyone for all their work.

 

I hope the key recommendations of the VAWG Task and Finish Group are acted on and provide an opportunity for greater openness, accountability and co-operation between all stakeholders working to tackle violence against women and girls.”

 

The full report can be found here:

 

 

 

 

Rise in number plate thefts

 

We have recently seen a rise in number plate thefts across the area.

 

Having your number plates stolen may see offenders using them to commit further crimes, meaning this could potentially falsely implicate you for issues such as speeding or parking tickets, or more serious offences such as fuel theft or your plates being used for stolen vehicles.  Due to this, it is crucial you report the theft to the police and/or DVLA immediately.  You should do so via 101, or 999 if the crime is still in progress. Obtaining a crime reference number will help you dispute any discrepancies linked to your plates. It is also a good idea to inform your insurance company.

 

To assist in preventing this crime:

 

🚗  Look into purchasing anti-theft number plate screws – these are much harder to unscrew than standard screws and can be purchased cheaply online or from most hardware stores, they will help to deter opportunistic thieves who are looking for a quick and easy steal.

 

 🚨    Always be mindful of where you park- try to park in well-lit and secure spots, where possible aim for busy areas and safe carparks with CCTV

 

 🚘 Ensure you driveway is always covered by CCTV and outdoor lighting

 

 🚓 Despite your number plates being stolen and it not being your fault, you cannot drive your vehicle without number plates under any circumstances, so be sure to use reputable manufactures or motoring retailers to order a replacement set right away. Most providers will be able to get them to you immediately, you will need the relevant documentation for your vehicle to do this.

 

South Buckinghamshire Social Media Summary

 

It has long been my expressed intention to provide you with a compendium of messages, which your local police publish on social media.

This link is my first attempt in this regard.

 

Of course, you are very welcome to source this same information more promptly, by subscribing to either

 

Twitter (aka X): TVP South Buckinghamshire (@tvp_southbucks) / X (twitter.com)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TVPSouthBuckinghamshire

 

But I equally realise that social media is not everyone's' "cup of tea", and so this document allows you to keep apprised of our activities, without the need for greater exposure.

 

I recognise that even this product won't provide a full picture, but it does afford some indication of the work my teams do. For fuller details, I have also attempted to embed links to press releases, when mouse-clicking on relevant sections.

 

Subject to operational demand, the aim is to produce these summaries, on a broadly weekly basis; as a retrospective review. If you believe the content would be of value to others within your "social circle", you are welcome to forward it to them, or possibly encourage them to sign-up to https://thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/

 

 

‘Respect Me’ say Buckinghamshire’s School Crossing Patrollers

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Buckinghamshire Council is calling on all drivers to be respectful of the work carried out by the county’s dedicated group of school crossing patrollers.

 

More commonly known as lollipop men and women, Buckinghamshire’s 60 school crossing patrollers are out, come rain or shine, morning and afternoon during school term time with their trusty STOP signs, helping children and families to reach school safely. Most drivers are respectful and stop when requested, however, a small minority can be abusive and put lives at risk with dangerous manoeuvres because they don’t want to stop to let people cross safely.

 

Examples include drivers using abusive language, not stopping when the patroller is already standing in the road and swerving around patrollers to get past. Patrollers’ jobs are also made more difficult by drivers blocking pavements and stopping or parking in inconsiderate places to drop of children, particularly at School Keep Clear markings and bus stops.

 

One of the school crossing patrollers working in Aylesbury commented: “It is noticeable how some people speed up as they’re coming towards you, trying to get past. We’re not here to stop people for the fun of it, we’re here to protect the children.”

 

Buckinghamshire Council has relaunched its ‘Respect Me’ campaign to remind drivers to be more considerate and respectful of the valuable job school crossing patrollers do.

 

Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport at Buckinghamshire Council, said: “Our lollipop men and women are valuable members of our local school communities and are well-loved and appreciated by the pupils and parents they help.

 

Drivers must stop when they are shown the STOP ‘lollipop’ sign; failing to do so when requested can lead to a £1,000 fine, three penalty points and disqualification. Vehicles must also remain stationary until the pole has been lowered and the patroller is back on the pavement.

 

To report any incidents involving School Crossing Patrollers, residents are asked to contact:

 

Aylesbury Vale and Wycombe (West) - Corinne Randall on 01296 383 432

Chiltern & South Bucks and Wycombe (East) - Georgina Longley on 01494 586 639

 

Free, fun and flavourful – support available for eligible families this Easter half term

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This Easter, the popular Holidays Activities and Food (HAF) programme is returning with a variety of free fun-filled holiday activities and clubs for eligible children and young people in their local area. Booking now open.

 

Funded by the Department for Education and coordinated by the council, thousands of places are available for children and young people (from Reception to Year 11) in receipt of benefits-related free school meals, to take part in the activities. A healthy hot meal is also provided at each activity.

 

Day trips, adventure activities, sports, dance and cookery are just some of the activities included within the Easter HAF programme, plus many more! There really is something for children of all ages and interests.

 

See details of all the activities and clubs on offer this Easter.

 

On Friday 1 March, parents and carers whose children are eligible for HAF places will receive an email or text message from HolidayActivities.com which will contain a HAF voucher. Those who are new or unfamiliar with the booking system are encouraged to read the guidance on how to book HAF places.

 

In addition to the holiday activities, Buckinghamshire Council is providing eligible families with a £30 digital food voucher to use during the Easter holidays. Children and young people who receive free school meals are eligible for the voucher, as well as those receiving early years’ pupil premium or 2-year-old funded free education places. This scheme is funded from the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Grant. The digital vouchers can be used in most major supermarkets in Buckinghamshire and are sent via the child’s school or Early Years setting ahead of the last week of term.

 

Anyone facing difficulties to get in touch with the council. We are there to help if you are struggling to afford necessities such as food, fuel and other household costs. For support, help and guidance visit here or call 01296 531151 or complete the online contact us form and someone will contact you.

 

For more support, advice or further activities and events for children this Easter, including a range of free and low-cost school holiday activities, visit Buckinghamshire Council’s School Easter Holidays support webpage.

 

New library collections will provide invaluable resource for families with children

 

A new range of books covering topics around parenting, childhood and childcare are now available for loan at two libraries in Buckinghamshire.

 

Parenting and Childcare Topics (PACT) is a unique collection of 170 different books designed to help parents and carers of children and young people to navigate a variety of topics from pregnancy, to dealing with complex emotions and situations, right up to approaching university. The books cover everything from general parenting tips to specific situations such as being separated parents or caring for a child with special educational needs and disabilities.

 

Many of the books are written directly for adults, but a number are also written for the children and young people, including books around bullying and puberty.

 

A variety of books on the topics of parenting and childcare are already available across all libraries in Buckinghamshire but the enhanced PACT series has been introduced in two of the biggest libraries as an additional resource, with the support of local business, Limitless Tutoring, who have sponsored the collections.

 

The books can be loaned in the usual way and are identified by the PACT logo on the spine of each book.

 

Creating an age friendly Buckinghamshire for all

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Buckinghamshire Council has outlined its commitment to helping older people in Buckinghamshire live healthy, active and independent lives as set out in its Healthy Ageing Strategy which has been formally approved by the council this week.

 

The document sets out the vision for how Buckinghamshire aspires to be a place for all residents to enjoy growing older in an age friendly community. The strategy also includes an action plan of how the vision will be achieved. 

 

To become an age friendly community, the strategy focuses on eight interconnecting areas outlined by the World Health Organisation (WHO):

 

• Outdoor spaces and buildings
• Transport
• Housing
• Participation in society
• Volunteering and employment
• Communication and information
• Community support for health and wellbeing
• Respect and social inclusion

 

In the first year, the focus for Buckinghamshire will be on two priorities - outdoor spaces and buildings, and participating in society.

 

To oversee the implementation of the strategy a multi-agency Age Friendly Bucks Partnership has been set up with external partners including the NHS and voluntary sector organisations. The views and ideas of residents and community groups have shaped the aims of the strategy and will continue to inform the implementation.

 

To further support the success of the strategy Buckinghamshire Council has joined the UK Network of Age Friendly Communities which is run by the Centre for Ageing Better and affiliated to the WHO’s Global Network for Age Friendly Cities and Communities. Being a member of this network provides access a range of additional resources including good practice guidance and advice. In addition, the council has partnered locally with Age UK Buckinghamshire to ensure a local focus in maintained.

 

Find more information on Healthy Ageing in Buckinghamshire on the website.

 

Show your heart some love, women of Bucks!

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Women in Buckinghamshire are being encouraged to look after their heart health as part of a new campaign being run by Buckinghamshire Council.

 

Focusing on women, the public health initiative aims to draw attention to some startling facts around heart health in women and raise awareness of the warning signs of a heart attack and other heart related health issues.

 

Did you know:

 

• Coronary heart disease (CHD) kills more than twice as many women as breast cancer in the UK every year – it is also one of the main causes of death in women worldwide.
• 32,000 women are admitted to hospital following a heart attack each year in the UK - an average of 88 women per day or 4 per hour.
• Many women who are having a heart attack delay seeking medical help for longer than men, because they often don’t know the symptoms - In a 2017 survey conducted by Heart Research UK, 4,000 women were questioned on their awareness of their heart health. 73% of respondents did not know that an overwhelming feeling of anxiety can be a symptom of a heart attack.  

 

There are lots of ways to keep your heart healthy. Simple lifestyle changes such as increasing your physical activity and eating more fruits and vegetables can have a big impact and lower the risk of heart disease. Knowing the signs and symptoms of a heart attack can also make a difference as early intervention can limit the damage done to the heart.

 

One of the easiest ways to check your heart health is to keep an eye on your blood pressure. You don’t need to see your GP to do this. It can be done at the free health kiosks at Aylesbury Library, High Wycombe Library, Burnham Library and Health on the High Street venue in the Friars Square shopping centre in Aylesbury. Just pop in and follow the easy instructions or ask a member of staff to help you if you are unsure.

 

Throughout March a series of pop-up events will be taking place across the county. The first took place at High Wycombe Library last Friday (8 March), coinciding with International Women’s Day and was attended by several female councillors who volunteered to have their blood pressure checked. Members of the Public Health team were on hand to  give information and advice about how to keep your heart healthy and how to spot the warning signs of heart disease and heart attacks. Other similar events are planned at at Aylesbury Library on 20 March with women invited to go along.

 

To find out more on keeping your heart healthy, visit the website.