Neighbourhood Networking

VANEL leads on a programme called “Neighbourhood Networking” which in general covers the whole of North East Lincolnshire. In essence the programme is a set of connected projects and initiatives which work to bring residents together and connect them with each other in a variety of ways. When residents or neighbours connect there are so many benefits. Networks of people help keep communities together; help reduce loneliness and isolation; help increase sense of community and along with it increase peace of mind and reduce either crime itself or the impacts of crime; increase social connectivity and bring a general sense of wellbeing. Networked neighbours and networked neighbourhoods are good for all.

VANEL uses funding from various sources and works with a variety of partners to try out new ideas and deliver initiatives to increase neighbourhood connectivity and networking.
VANEL is currently funded by the National Lottery Reaching Community fund to work extensively in the more rural areas of North East Lincolnshire. This means the Wolds Ward and all the rural towns and villages; Immingham ward and surrounding villages; Waltham ward; Humberston and New Waltham ward and parts of Laceby Acres and Scartho.

This programme allows us to connect with venues such as community centres and village halls. We connect to existing social groups and networks and help promote these groups and venues to bring more people in. We work to help residents start up their own groups and initiatives and to run new groups.

Groups of residents might be involved in one off events such as family days; community feasts; coffee mornings etc. Or they might run social events or sporting clubs. Neighbourhood Watch groups bring people together to tackle community safety issues. Groups tackling projects in their area such as litter picks can connect people. Or groups might investigate heritage issues, go for walks, run activities for children or much more. VANEL’s role is to help seek out these opportunities and to encourage people to start and run clubs or to simply connect and get involved with each other.
Across the whole of North East Lincolnshire VANEL is working closely with Ward Councillors and the local Neighbourhood Policing Teams as well as other partners such as the Council or Housing providers. We seek ways to find funding to encourage neighbours to connect with each other.

VANEL currently delivers Scams/Fraud talks to groups via FraudWatch funding and this enables us to talk to a lot of residents on important topics such as keeping safe.

We’ve had funding from the Police and Crime Commissioner as well as Ward Councillors to provide small items of community safety equipment to residents. These types of community safety focused ‘free giveaways’ are a way of connecting to resident who might otherwise be disconnected and allows more signposting to other services.

VANEL runs a variety of other programmes such as Green Influencers (for young children via schools and family centres), or connects via Big Local North Cleethorpes, or creates Green Pop Up event opportunities across rural towns and villages. Each of these projects are a way of helping to connect neighbours to each other.
VANEL is also responsible for Neighbourhood Watch for North East Lincolnshire and supports existing Neighbourhood Watch Groups as well as creating new ones.

We’re grateful for the support from all our funders and partners enabling us to reach residents across North East Lincolnshire.

Keep an eye on our blog on www.vanel.org.uk for general updates.

www.nelwatch.org.uk holds information about our Neighbourhood Watch initiatives and much of our Neighbourhood Networking work.

www.nelwatch.org.uk/neighbourstogether is our new website for residents to connect with our neighbourhood networking programme in more depth. It’s pretty new so watch this space…

Any questions please contact Karl Elliott at VANEL – karl@vanel.org.uk

With thanks to our funders:

Ward Councillors also support our programme in certain wards:

South Ward Councillors – for South Ward

We support residents in North Cleethorpes via our partnership with Big Local North Cleethorpes.

In South Ward we are building a residents Forum with funding support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.