Matson and Linden Safer Community Team

Team Members

Team Leader
APS 1809 Lynn Northfield (County Council Funded Officer)

Community Officers
APS 1809 Lynn Northfield (County Council Funded Officer)
Linden - PC 2136 Pete Curtis (County Council Funded Officer)

Offender Manager/Drugs Intelligence
PC 141 Wes Wright
PC 1021 Bob Brunsdon
PC 200 Jeff Smith

Police Community Support Officers - Matson
PCSO 49067 Hamid Charafi
PCSO 49083 Chris Jenkinson

Police Community Support Officers - Linden
PCSO 49186 Asha Patel
PCSO 49133 Emma Elliott
PCSO 49135 Jeremy Sansom

The Matson and Linden SCT have two police officers who are being funded by the County Council. This sets them as a resource which should not be used by the division therefore enabling them to be totally committed to the team and the community. APS Lynn Northfield is the dedicated funded officer for Matson and PC Pete Curtis is the dedicated officer for Linden.

Matson and Linden - March Update

SCT officers Visit Scouts

Children from the St. Augustine's Scout group had the opportunity to ask PC Pete Curtis and PCSO Chris Jenkinson any questions they had about local policing during a visit by the officers on February 26. The officers also demonstrated some of their police equipment.

The children were very enthusiastic and gave some very challenging questions to the officers. Everyone enjoyed the session and further visits have been planned.

Cool Kidz Crew - Junior Street Wardens

February 1 saw the Cool Kidz Crew take to the streets again as part of their Junior Street Warden Scheme set up by Gloucester City Homes. The children took part in a walkabout in Matson and suggested numerous ways in which the local area could be improved and highlighted any issues they felt needed to be dealt with.  Again this was a great session and the scheme continues to grow in strength.

Police Information Point

On February 8, PCSOs Chris Jenkinson and Hamid Charafi held a Police Information Point (PIP) at the library. A number of residents approached the officers for advice. PIPs are a great way to receive advice or to raise any concerns to members of the local Police team.

Matson & Robinswood Residents Groups

Matson & Robinswood Tenants & Residents Association

The Matson and Robinswood Tenants and Residents Association held it's monthly meeting on February 8. PCSOs Chris Jenkinson and Hamid Charafi represented the Safer Community Team and gave an update on police actions for the month. At the meeting it was highlighted that parking issues around Matson, but in particular Garnalls Road, were becoming an issue. This was taken to the Community Partnership Meeting on February 16. For an update on this meeting please see our priorities.

The Lampreys Residents Association

The Lampreys residents association held their monthly meeting on February 10 at Saintbridge Sports Centre in Painswick Road. This again was attended by PCSOs Jenkinson and Charafi who gave a policing update. The update also included the possibility of the current Lampreys priority being reviewed at the community partnership meeting.

From recent public consultation it has become apparent that there are some issues with youths playing around the garages in The Lampreys. Concerns have been raised about young people behaving in an abusive and insulting manner towards residents who have confronted them while they play football.

The garages are unsafe for anyone to be climbing on and this issue has been passed to the estate manager at Gloucester City Homes. The Matson and Robinswood Safer Community Team will be increasing patrols in the area and will deal with any anti-social behaviour in an appropriate manner. This is an ongoing issue which the team and other agencies will work together to combat.

Together In Matson - Art project

PCSO Chris Jenkinson received an invitation by Together In Matson to assist in an art project run by Art Shapes at the Redwell Centre in Redwell Road during the half term holiday. During the sessions new art work was created for the refurbished youth centre. All those involved had a great time and produced some excellent pieces to help decorate the centre.

Street Surgery with Gloucester City Homes

PCSO Chris Jenkinson and representatives from Gloucester City Homes took part in a street surgery held in Prinkash Road, Matson. There were no issues reported.

Latest Matson and Linden Community Newsletter

Our latest Community Policing newsletter has just been printed and will be delivered. It is designed to provide you with details about your Safer Community Team and keep you updated about what we are doing to reduce crime and disorder and promote safety in Gloucestershire.

This edition reinforces the Constabulary’s commitment to the Policing Pledge – our contract with the public that outlines the standard of service you can expect from us.

These newsletters will be available at key locations within your community. If you require a copy please speak to your Safer Community Team who will ensure you receive one or where you can collect one. To view your Communities newsletter online please click here.To view your Communities newsletter online please click here.

Matson and Linden - February Update

Matson NEWS

• Matson & Robinswood Community Partnership Meeting

The next community partnership meeting is being held at 7pm on February 16 at the Matson Baptist Church, Matson Avenue. At the meeting the Safer Community Team will be giving updates on the three priorities set at a previous meeting. The priorities to be discussed are:

• Parking issues outside of schools
• Anti-social behaviour in the alleyways through Robinswood.
• Anti-social behaviour and neighbour disputes in The Lampreys.

The update will include any activities the team have carried out to address the concerns and any future activities.

The meeting is attended by other resident and tenants groups as well as other agencies working in the community. Therefore it is a great opportunity for residents to raise any concerns they may have. The meeting is open to the public.

  On January 11, PCSOs Chris and Hamid held a Police Information Point at One Stop Plus Office in Matson Avenue. There were no concerns raised.

• Police Information Point

These events are a great way for members of the public to raise any issues with the team. It gives the public a specific time and place that members from the Safer Community Team will be available to discuss any concerns. The next meeting will be at Matson Library, Winsley Road on Monday February 8.

Other future dates are listed on this page under useful links.

• Street Surgery Held at Saffron Close

On Sunday 7th February PCSOs Hamid Charafi and Chris Jenkinson held a street surgery in Saffron Close. A street surgery is when members of the SCT knock on residents doors in reference to community priorities. It is a great way to meet members of the SCT without having to travel to community meetings or Police stations. The community set a priority in which the team concentrate their resources on addressing the concerns raised by the community through high visibility foot patrol, visual environmental surveys and Operations. This area had been suffering from anti social behaviour involving youths as well as fly tipping, graffiti and misuse of motor vehicles.

During the surgery 17 households were spoken to and no major issues were raised and the team received regular comments such as 'things are much better' and ' improving'. This is a great result and the team will be carrying out more surgeries around the Robinswood area over the next few weeks.

If you were not in when the team called and would like to make the team aware of any issues you have please contact the team via this page.

• Junior Street Warden - Cool Kidz Crew

Together with Gloucester City Homes, PCSOs Chris Jenkinson and Hamid Charafi have begun the Junior Warden Scheme. Pupils from Robinswood Primary School in Matson have been selected to carry out walkabouts in their community to help highlight any issues they can identify. These may be from street lights being out to graffiti and dog fouling. The children are also encouraged to suggest ideas on how an area can be improved, for example more litter bins or benches and even play areas. The children involved take responsibility to report these issues to the right people to try and make their community a safer and better place to live.

Members of the Cool Kidz Crew were rewarded for their hard at the end of the year by going to the Mayors pantomime held at Gloucester Guildhall. The children had a great time and again as always behaved excellently.

Due to recent bad weather the walkabouts around the estate were postponed but a new timetable of events has been set up including a visit to the Police Control Room as well as information sessions for the Crew. The most recent event for this was held on February 1, where ten local children helped to identify things like graffiti, criminal damage and broken windows.

• Matson & Robinswood Tenants & Residents Association / The Lampreys Resident Association Meeting

On the 8th Febraury PCSO's Hamid Charafi and Chris Jenkinson attended the Matson & Robinswood Tenants & Residents Association meeting at The Gateway in Matson Avenue. At the meeting they gave an update on activities carried out by the local safer community team. This included school visits, assisting in sports events to help reduce anti social behaviour and updates on the three priorities. It was reported back to them there are some issues around parking in Garnals Road which will be monitored by the team to identify any problems. At the request of the Chair a number of bicycle lights will be given to the Gateway Shop in Matson Avenue to be fitted to the bicycles in the shop.

Future meetings will be put onto this page under monthly events.

On the 10th Febraury again Chris and Hamid attended The Lampreys Resident Association meeting held at Saintbridge Sports Club, Painswick Road. An update was given to the group on activities carried out. Residents reported an improvement on the estate and no major concerns were raised. Gloucester City Homes were informed of the garages in The Lampreys that require attention. It was reported to the group that a Community Partnership Meeting is taking place on 16th Febraury at 7pm Matson Baptist Church, Matson Avenue where the community priorities are to be reviewed.

Future dates of these meetings will be published via monthly events section on this page.

• Matson & Robinswood SCT assist in Street Games

To help combat anti Social Behaviour within the community PCSOs from the Matson & Robinswood SCT will be assisting in running StreetGames session throughout their area. The StreetGames session are run by Gloucester City Council and details and timetables are available from the useful links on this page or via sports.development@gloucester.gov.uk.

The sessions involve multi-sport activities which vary at each site but aim to include a variety of the following: football, basketball, tennis, tag rugby, kwik cricket and rounders.

The sites which hold these sessions in Matson & Robinswood are the Redwell Youth Centre, good weather will be outside on the Multi Use Game Area, every Tuesday 4.30pm - 6.30pm and the new games area at Central Technology College every Wednesday 4 pm - 6 pm.

Gloucester City StreetGames  are low cost and some free sports sessions happening across Gloucester from now until Monday 29th March 2010.  Session times and sites vary, sessions are aimed at different ages. All sessions are run by qualified, CRB checked sports coaches.  All equipment for activities is provided.  Please advise young people to bring a drink with them!

• Child Victim of Crime Tag Rugby Tournament

For a third consecutive year the Constabulary will be holding a schools tag rugby competition which once again is likely to be at Hartpury College. As before this is an ideal opportunity for Safer Community Teams to engage with schools in their locality in a way that is mutually beneficial. In effect the rugby is a medium for interacting in a positive and influential way with young people.

PCSOs Chris and Hamid will again, as previous years, work alongside Moat Primary School. Chris and Hamid will be running sessions for the squad after school in anticipation of taking a successful team to the tournament.

For more information from previous tournaments please see the useful links tab at the top of the page.

• Visit to Central Technology College

On January 27, PCSOs Chris Jenkinson and Hamid Charafi attended Central Technology College and held a session with the pupils during their lunch break. Pupils are able to discuss any concerns they have or ask for any advise in a relaxed informal atmosphere. The scheme helps build good relationships with pupils and the school.

• Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) Funding through Community Partnership - Update

Through the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership the Matson & Robinswood SCT have successfully applied for funding for two projects in Matson. The Youth Centre at Red well Road has recently had some additions to the services provided by adding a gym and dance studio both designed and created by the users of the centre. The dance studio will soon be receiving a new sound system because of the success of the funding. The sound system will also be able to benefit the users of the gym too. We hope all users enjoy the sound system! The youth centre also offers many more activities for young people in Matson. For further details please contact Vanessa Worral or Bob Allen at Together In Matson.

The after school club run by GL Communities will also benefit from the funding success by purchasing a Wii console system fully kitted out for those wet evenings and nights where the children cannot go out and play. Again we hope all the children who use the club will benefit from this addition. The after school club provides many activities for children to take part in. These sessions are free and are for children aged 8 – 14 years. For further details please contact GL Communities.

Both projects have and will continue to benefit the community by reducing levels of anti-social behaviour in the area, with children and young people being provided with activities to take part in, therefore addressing our community priority to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.

Linden NEWS

•  Moreland Community Partnership meeting

The next Moreland Community Partnership meeting is to be held at St Stephen’s Church at 7pm on February 10. To read more about the partnership, please see the download section at the bottom of this page.  If you are interested in joining the partnership, or coming along to one of the meetings to see what it is all about, please email morelandcp@hotmail.co.uk.  

• New Community Beat Officer - PC Pete Curtis

We would like to welcome PC Pete Curtis to our team.  He has joined us as a replacement for PC Dominic Everiss, and we look forward to working with him.  Many of you have already met Pete at the last Community Partnership Meeting, and I'm sure you will see him walking the beat in the near future.

• Police Information Point

The PIP (Police Information Point) is a good way of speaking to your local Safer Community Team regarding any problems, issues or incidents in the local area of Linden. You can also attend and pass on any information that you think the police might like to know. The PIPs are held every month, usually at the Star 66 Centre, Frampton Road, Linden, Gloucester. If you need to contact us before the PIPs are held, please contact us using the Contact Us tab at the top of the page, or call us on 0845 090 1234.

Here are the dates for the Linden PIP:

DATE               VENUE                   TIME

February 4      Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

March 4          Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

April 1           Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm   

May 6             Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

June 3             Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm 

July 1               Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm 

August 5          Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

September 2   Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

October 7       Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm 

November 4    Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

December 2   Star 66 Centre, Seymour Road        6pm - 7pm

Matson and Linden Monthly Advice

• Home Security Advice - 

We would like to remind you about your home security. The amount of burglaries committed often increases during these difficult times, and we want to ensure that you are aware of what you can do to decrease the likelihood of you being affected by this crime. 

•                  Set light timers if you are going to return home after dark
•                  Always lock doors and windows
•                  Use deadlocks/bolts/door chains, where fitted
•                  Never leave door/window keys in or around the door/window

These are simple examples, but may be the difference between being burgled, or not. Your local Police Community Support Officers are available to provide a free Crime Prevention Survey on you property, which will provide you with more useful information in relation to home security. You may also find some on useful advice from the following link.

Garages and sheds also need to be double checked to ensure that they are locked with good quality padlocks, and consider metal grates over the windows.  It may be an idea to secure expensive items using security cable, or chains and padlocks.