Ford residents invited to take part in Day of Action

Families young and old in Ford are being invited to take part in the Day of Action during half term on Tuesday 21 February 2017.

The event, organised by Team Shrewsbury, starts at 11am and will include a community litter pick, a home safety drop-in session at the village hall and a community dog walk around the village.

Ford – Rural Day of Action poster

The Day of Action is a Team Shrewsbury initiative which sees multiple public organisations working together in one particular area for a day to enhance community relationships. This year will see Shropshire Council’s community enablement, public protection and environmental maintenance teams working alongside West Mercia Police, Shropshire Fire and Rescue, Ford Parish Council and Severnside Housing.

The day will begin with an 11am community litter pick where residents will be able to help staff pick up dropped litter. All equipment will be provided on the day. Running at the same time will be an 11am-3pm drop-in at Ford Village Hall. Here, residents will be able to speak with public agencies about home safety, being aware of the latest digital and postal scams, as well as speaking to the local Safer Neighbourhood Officers about any local issues arising. Free microchipping will also be available by Hillbrae Kennels/Dogs Trust.

Local family run business ‘The Smoke Stop” smokehouse will be providing free refreshments to local residents as part of the day.

During the day other activities will be taking place around the village, including installation of a mobile CCTV camera. The camera is being installed to gather intelligence on those who allow their dogs to foul. This intelligence will then be used to help the dog wardens on patrol.

The final activity for the day sees a community dog walk being organised, setting off from the village hall at 2pm and finishing around 3pm. The dog walk will be led by the dog warden and is being sponsored by local company Whitley Crest Kennels. With recent issues surrounding dog fouling in the village, it is hoped the dog walk will be a chance to talk to local dog owners to discuss the issues and find some solutions. Participants will receive a free doggy bag of treats for their pets.

Roger Evans, local Shropshire Councillor member for Longden (which includes the village of Ford) said:-

“This is good news for the whole community. We have just a few problems caused by a few individuals. I will be around the whole day, available for help. Come along for a chat and let’s get together, and make this a very special day. Show we are a community that cares about this area.”

For more information about the event contact David Fairclough, community enablement officer at david.fairclough@shropshire.gov.uk.