Welcome

My my, didn't February fly by! I know it's a short month but nonetheless it seems to have whizzed past.  So March is upon us and with the emergence of spring (and Boris's 'road map') a sense of hope, renewal and excitement is in the air.  Hurrah! It's Census Day this month too and, as all households are legally bound to take part, we share some information about how you can stay safe from Census Day Scams. Please be aware and share - let's all stay safe together. Thank you. Have a great month!

Census Day - Sunday 21st March

The Office for National Statistics will shortly be carrying out the Census 2021 across England and Wales to gather vital information to help plan services such as transport, education and healthcare. All households will receive a letter with a unique code explaining how they can submit their responses online or request a paper form.

It is a legal requirement to respond to the Census and 29,000 officers have been appointed to carry out home visits to non-responders. 

Naturally this exercise presents an opportunity to criminals to pose as Census Officers to try to gain access to people's homes. 

Stay safe from bogus Census Officers by being aware that:

• All officers will be carrying official identification cards with a photograph and the officer’s name.
• Visits will take place between 09:00 and 20:00
• Census Officers will never ask for any money or bank details
• All officers will work in a socially distanced way, will be wearing PPE and will not enter anyone’s home

More information about the Census 2021 can be found at www.census.gov.uk

Partners in the Spotlight: Safe Local Trades

When it comes to looking for a tried, tested and professional trader – there is only one local business that has been championing consumers for more than a decade.

Eileen Le Voi (right) supporting consumers to find safe local trades people

Since 2008, Safe Local Trades has been providing thousands of customers, across the PE and CB postcode areas, with easy and safe access to reliable and reputable vetted tradespeople. All members are interviewed, DBS checked, vetted and approved, have agreed to abide by a Service Charter and are monitored on an on-going basis.

But not only that; business founder Eileen Le Voi has worked tirelessly with many partners (including ourselves and Cambridgeshire Constabulary) to force out rogue and cowboy traders across the Peterborough area - winning a number of accolades for Safe Local Trades’ community-focussed service over the years.

Eileen said: “The success of Safe Local Trades is due in the main to the fantastic members we have on our register; all reliable, professional and recommended to offer customers peace of mind. We have nearly 16,000 genuine reviews on our website therefore consumers can make an informed decision on who to contact for a quotation”.

Since 2008, consumers have trusted the recommendations of Safe Local Trades and have made the www.safelocaltrades.com website their first port of call when sourcing traders - read what some customers say here .

Eileen is a keen supporter and promotor of CAPASP and our work in trying to stamp out fraudsters. Through her own enthusiasm, community contacts and being well-informed about the latest scams, she is instrumental in getting the message out to the wider public. The Safe Local Trades Facebook page can be followed at https://www.facebook.com/safelocaltrades

Cultivate Fund Applications Invited

The next deadline for applications to Cambridgeshire County Council's Cultivate Fund is 1^st May 2021.

The aim of the fund is to support initiatives that strengthen communities and reduce pressure on County Council services, thereby giving a return on investment. Council services that are inviting applications are adult social care and children’s services. 

The fund is open to voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations based in and outside of Cambridgeshire, and public sector organisations in Cambridgeshire. Please note that projects serving Peterborough residents are not eligible.

The 1^st May funding round is for Cultivate grant applications (£2,000-£15,000) for projects that build community support networks for vulnerable people.  

Pre-application advice

Organisations are strongly advised to seek pre-application advice on their project ideas before submitting an application.  Bookings are now open for telephone advice appointments on Thursday 18^th March and Tuesday 23^rd March.  These 15 minute 1:1 appointments must be pre-booked and are available on a first come first served basis. Please book here.

Cultivate Project Ideas

Do you want to do something for your community but need some inspiration to start a project? Application guidance has been developed for 3 new Cultivate project ideas - Mobile Warden Schemes, Community Youth Worker and Digital Inclusion Projects – that can help people to remain independent and active within their community, encourage volunteering and complement more costly Council services. Applications for Timebanks, Good Neighbour Schemes, Dementia-Friendly Communities and Men's Sheds continue to be welcome too. You can find guidance on how to apply for a start-up grant for each of these projects here. 

Applications and further information about fund priorities and criteria may be found on the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) website.

New Supporters

It's fantastic to see our supporter numbers climbing month on month and this issue we give a warm welcome to Coveney Village Hall Committee, Wicken Parish Council and The Local View, a Cambridgeshire online magazine, who have joined us as new supporters recently.

Coveney Village Hall

A special mention must be given to The Local View who have made an amazing start by sharing an article on How to Stay Safe from Scams during the Coronavirus Pandemic with their readers and have plans for more scams prevention articles in coming weeks. Brilliant stuff!

Thank you all for your support.

Perri Graces the Radio Waves!

Perri Selwood, Trust Manager of Cambridgeshire Bobby Scheme, joined Thordis Fridriksson on the Mid-morning show on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on Tuesday 2^nd March, talking all about CAPASP, the latest scams and the great work of The Bobby Scheme. 

If you didn't hear it live you can listen back here on BBC Sounds from 2:34.

NCA Scam Uses Number Spoofing

We have received many reports of scam phone calls purporting to be the National Crime Agency claiming that the recipient's National Insurance number had been used fraudulently. You might remember our warning about this.

Since issuing our alert we have spotted a common pattern with these calls - whether they are received on a mobile telephone or a landline. The incoming number tends to start with at least the first five digits as the recipient's own number and in some cases as many as the first eight digits. 

It seems that the scammers are spoofing the number they call on to look like a call from your area or same mobile code - probably in a bid to gain your confidence to answer the call.

Please be aware of this and warn others - it will help people to be on their guard when answering what, on first glance, seems to be a local call. 

Helping People Stay Safe from Loan Sharks

Many of those who have experienced financial difficulties throughout the coronavirus pandemic have turned to loan sharks and illegal money lenders to make ends meet. The Fenland Community Safety Partnership hosted an online engagement event with Catherine Williams of the England Illegal Money Lending Team to highlight the dangers of loan sharks, the alternatives that are available and the help and support that the Stop Loan Sharks Project can offer. The event can be watched over on the Council’s YouTube channel.

Support The Bobby Scheme's Fundraising Efforts

If you shop online with Amazon did you know you can actually support the fantastic work of Cambridgeshire Bobby Scheme, run by the Cambridgeshire Police Shrievalty Trust, at no cost to you, simply by using Amazon Smile.

Visit Amazon Smile to start your shopping today. The same products, services and prices are offered as the regular Amazon - the bonus is they donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible purchases to the charity.