Checking out the engraving tool are (from left) Trudi Deane and Shirley Forward from Neighbourhood Support, Graeme Veale of Community Patrols and Debbie Mortensen, Neighbourhood Support Field Worker.
PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS
Celebrating Neighbours Day and the days around it has practical applications too, as people will see this Saturday when Neighbourhood Support and Community Patrols get together at Mitre 10 Mega.
Supported by Police, these groups will show how you can protect what's yours.
Members of both organisations will be there with
tools and screws to show people how to prevent number plates being stolen and with an engraving tool to show how to safeguard valuable tools.
"Protecting number plates is a national project throughout Community Patrols," says organisation secretary Graeme Veale. "They've done it successfully in a lot of areas and this is the first time for Whanganui. So we thought, here's an opportunity for a joint venture."
The idea with number plate protection is to replace the too-easy-to-remove Philips-head screws with special tamper-proof screws.
"These you have to use a special tool for, so it certainly is a deterrent," says Graeme. "We will put in two per number plate.
"The police are right behind it."
"Tool engraving has been done in other areas too, so Shirley [Forward, Neighbourhood Support Chairperson] came up with the idea to do it for Neighbours Day," says Neighbourhood Support Field Officer, Trudi Deane.
The engraving service is for the public and tradespeople.
There will also be a barbecue on site.
There is a small charge for each service and the barbecue food, with funds going to Neighbourhood Support and City Mission food bank. The gold coin donation for tamper-proof screws will pay for the hardware.
Both activities and the barbecue will take place in the Mitre 10 Mega carpark on Saturday, March 30, from 10am until 2pm.
