The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust has reached an incredible milestone after fitting its 50th free or low-cost doorbell camera for older people and residents with disabilities.
The charity, which works alongside Wiltshire Police to help over-60s and people aged 18 and over with a disability stay safe from crime, has been supplying and fitting the devices for £130 – significantly below the retail price – to those who are eligible.
In some areas, the cameras have been fitted completely free of charge for people living in parish council areas identified as at risk by Neighbourhood Policing Teams, thanks to funding from local councils.
Doorbell cameras enable householders to see and communicate with visitors via a smartphone or tablet, wherever they are. They can send alerts when someone approaches, feature motion detection and night vision, and store footage remotely for potential evidence.
Bobby Van Operator Vincent Logue said: “It has been a successful campaign so far and I’m getting four or five requests for doorbell cameras a week from all over the county and in Swindon. Most people hear about them through word of mouth or on Facebook.
"The vast majority we’ve fitted are for people who are over 60 and we've had a few 90-year-olds. We don’t just install it, we show them how to operate them and by the time we've left, they say ‘oh, it's easy’.
"You can see they are pleased when we’ve fitted them because they don't have to open the door to people. A lot of people are really concerned when they open the door, it's really nerve-wracking when they are in the house by themselves."
He said the cameras not only act as a deterrent but also provide reassurance. “I think of it like a new version of a door chain, you can answer the door safely because you don't even have to unlock it,” he said.
“You can also answer from wherever you are – whether that's in Bath or in the bath – and it's much easier to say no, or to ask someone to leave, when you're not face to face. It's really difficult for people to say no when you've unlocked the door.
"The other advantage for the very vulnerable is that family members can monitor it as well. It allows the same monitoring of the activity of the door and of the person but it's still allowing them to have that independent living.”
Eligible residents can apply for a fitting by contacting the charity at
The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust, founded in 1998 and based at Wiltshire Police Headquarters in Devizes, operates three vans staffed by former police officers. They visit people who have been victims of crime or are at risk, fitting security devices such as locks, door viewers and door chains, as well as offering security advice.
The charity also runs a “Stay Safe Online” service, with police-trained volunteers offering home visits and community talks on cyber and scam prevention.
The service is completely free of charge but receives no government funding, meaning the charity must raise more than £350,000 each year to continue its work.
More information is available at www.wiltshirebobbyvan.org.uk.
Pictured: Bobby Van Director Jennie Shaw and operator Vincent Logue at the launch of the campaign earlier this year
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