THE Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust for over 20 years has been securing the homes of those over 60 or 18+ with a registered disability, living in Wiltshire and Swindon.
In their time the charity has also spoken to over 1,200 community groups.
The Trust’s original aim was to secure the homes of elderly and disabled people who had become, or were at risk of becoming, victims of house crime. They offered practical help and advice on how to remain safe at home by undertaking a full home security assessment before fitting appropriate security hardware.
Since then, the Trust has increased its remit to meet the changing needs of our community; where appropriate they conduct a full fire risk assessment as well – installing smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors where necessary and secure the homes of people experiencing domestic abuse.
But it is probably their latest initiative, Stay Safe Online that meets the current challenges of modern-day life. Cyber-crime is the nation’s fastest growing crime – with around one third of fraud occurring online. The Trust now has a team of 7 volunteers who carry out home visits, improving awareness through education and therefore helping to prevent computer-enabled fraud.
The charity does not work in isolation, but cooperates efficiently with a wide variety of other organisations such as Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, Victim Support, Swindon Women’s Aid, and many others.
In addition to securing reductions in the number of domestic burglaries, additional benefits have included the reduced fear of crime and social withdrawal generated by the burglary, restoring the confidence of victims and their increased participation in the day-to-day activities of our communities.
Their Stay Safe Online volunteers are available to offer telephone advice on a range of issues from improving cyber security awareness, to cyber and scam prevention advice and signposting to future advice and resources.
This service is free to all eligible clients.
If you would like any further information on the Trust www.wiltshirebobbyvan.org.uk
