The animals on the Neighbourhood Watch logo are meerkats. What makes them so special is their natural instinct to work in teams to keep themselves and their young safe.

Like members of a Neighbourhood Watch, they take turns to go on look-out duty, watching for anything that might threaten the group. They are alert and vigilant and act unselfishly to warn fellow team members of anything suspicious. As Sir David Attenborough put it "their strength is their unity".

Neighbourhood Watch is about being part of a community team whose members work to protect each other from crime and anti-social behaviour and to improve the quality of life in their area and to ensure everyone in their community can feel safe.

Neighbours work together:

• To implement crime prevention initiatives in the neighbourhood

• As a local network to distribute local crime information and advice

• To provide intelligence to the Police on criminal and anti-social activities

• To lobby Councils and other local agencies for improvements to their area

A successful Neighbourhood Watch:

• Brings people closer together

• Creates a stronger community spirit

• Helps to reduce crime and people's fear of crime

• Strengthens links with the Police

• Develops closer relationships with local councils

• Improves the local environment

• Creates a better quality of life

Contact Westminster's Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator on 020 7641 2117 or neighbourhoodwatch@westminster.gov.uk for further information.

Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter

Neighbourhood Watch Newsletters are produced twice a year and contain Neighbourhood Watch community news and useful crime prevention advise.

You can download the latest Neighbourhood Watch Newsletter in the box below.