Green Watch Ranger Service
Henk Littlewood, Green Watch Ranger

The Ranger Service has launched a new Community Safety Project called Green Watch. This project is part of a range of community safety measures forming part of the Crime and Disorder Strategy and is led by Sheffield First for Safety and a steering group made up of representatives from the partnership. Initially Green Watch will employ four temporary Project Development Rangers working in key target areas.

The objectives of the project are to:

• Divert Young People away from a path of crime, by building the confidence and skills of individuals through training and work experience.
• Combat anti social behavior and youth nuisance by providing diversionary activities, site monitoring and sympathetic site management.
• Establish park watch type schemes and to enforce bylaws.
• Increase the use of sites, by enhancing the program of community events and activities undertaken by the Ranger Service
• Increase the diversity of volunteer and placement opportunities and support for people at risk including community punishment orders and young offenders.

Neighborhood Renewal funding from the Community Safety Team, South Yorkshire Police Basic Command Unit and Community involvement fund from The Countryside Agency initially funds Green Watch.

Greenwatch Rangers have been given the task of supporting the work of the Youth Offending Team and Probation Service in providing constructive reparation work in the open green spaces, working closely with Youth Supervisors.

I have been assigned to Burngreave and Sharrow, and my work will complement existing work in the area provided by the Green Environment Rangers already in Burngreave.

Greenwatch have established a number of projects involving young people in other areas (dry stone walling on the Manor estate, landscape work in the General Cemetery, a tidy up of Langdon Street Gardens for Surestart, and conservation work in Montague Street Green and Lynwood for local friends groups).

I would like to develop similar projects in Burngreave and have begun by assisting Connexions to provide tools, materials and support for a group of young people in Burngreave who wish to develop two allotments on Grimesthorpe to grow their own produce.

I am new to the area and have spent some time talking to local people. If you think I can be of assistance to you in a local green space project, please contact me:

Tel: 0114 245 9749