Island Life Magazine Ltd April / May 2016 | Page 73

COUNTRY LIFE

allowed Country Watch to ‘show
them the error of their ways’, whilst
maintaining credibility and again
building relationships with both
sides.
Surprisingly, one challenge has
been to get people to report crimes
to the Police and this is another
success of Country Watch. The
increase in reported crime is being
attributed to the network and
relationships that Sgt Lyth and
his team has established through
having stands at rural events,
attending group meetings such as
the RSPCA, RSPB, National Farmers
Union and Interlink (coastal and
marine) and creating a database

of members who receive regular
updates of crimes and warnings of
rouge traders via email (iowalert).
It is obvious that the main reasons
behind the success of Country
Watch is the commitment of the
Team, and Sgt Lyth is quick to
praise the efforts of his Officers,
Tim, Cat and Justin who together
to look after those who live, work
and own land and property in the
countryside, their understanding of
these people and, most importantly,
the relationships they have built by
having an officer they have got to
know and trust over the past five
years.

Join Today at www.iowalert.co.uk
Receive FREE crime and community information
about where you live and help to protect the
Island’s countryside and wildlife.

Isle of Wight Ramblers

T

he steps near Windy
Corner, Niton, have
been reinstated. The
IW Ramblers Working
Party have been busy
repairing the steps that
had been closed due to
unsafe conditions. Visit
www.iowramblers.com
for more information.

www.visitilife.com

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