Year: 2021

Spoof Phone Calls

Dear Watch Member,

A huge increase in cyber-fraud across the world means that we all need to learn how to spot and avoid different types of fraud and cybercrime.

An emerging tactic used by fraudsters is the ‘spoofing’ (cloning) of telephone numbers. A decade ago, anyone receiving a suspicious call could look up the number that was calling them to check its legitimacy. No longer is this sufficient advice.

Fraudsters can now clone numbers used by legitimate organisations, your local bank, HMRC, or even a local police station, to make it look like that organisation’s genuine number is calling you. The fraudster claims to be from that organisation and tries to convince you to do what they say. This means you cannot rely on your Caller ID display to tell you who is calling you.

Protect yourself:

Beware of unexpected phone callers, whomever they claim to be. If in doubt, never divulge personal details over the phone to someone who has called you. The more you say to a fraudster, the more information they gain about you. Don’t be afraid to hang up. Contact friends or family for advice.

Don’t trust your caller ID display. To verify a call, contact the genuine organisation using a number that you have independently researched. Before doing so, ensure the call has ended and the line has cleared, wait five minutes (Some scammers can simulate the sounds of lines clearing to dupe you into dialling while the line is still live), or make the call via a separate phone line where possible.

Institutions such as HMRC, police and banks will never call you to tell you that you / your money is under investigation; nor would they ever ask you to transfer or hand-over money / assets for such a purpose.

Report all scams online to www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040, giving as much information as possible.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

Harrow Council Covid-19 Volunteers Meeting

Harrow Council Covid-19 Volunteers Meeting  – Wednesday 2 June 6-7pm

Harrow Council’s Public Health team is organising a meeting for those who have signed up to be Covid-19 volunteers or those would like to do so. This is the second in a series of meetings for community members and residents who would like to be part of the effort in getting Harrow vaccinated  by providing up to date information and resources to your family, friends and neighbours. If you are leading a community group, please be aware that this is for your members who are linked in to your group.

We are interested in calling upon even more people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds (including Eastern Europeans) to join us as volunteers. Covid-19 volunteers will be invited to regular monthly meetings with the Public Health team, receive priority up-to-date Covid-19 data, as well as relevant resources to help you communicate with your friends and family.

If you have already signed up to be a volunteer, you will receive an invite for this. Community members who would like to newly sign up as volunteers, please register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmjqGbYF4hw-Km3hOWvflHrpWTxK9Dfy3J4h_-EEnAN4dVzw/viewform

Harrow Council Covid Community Webinar

Harrow Council Covid Community Webinar –  Wednesday 26 May 6.30pm to 7.30pm

This webinar is open to everyone who lives and works in Harrow and will be an opportunity to hear first-hand about the latest position around Covid cases – including the variant originating from India – in Harrow and how we are responding.

Our panellists will answer any questions you may have about the vaccine rollout, second doses of the vaccines, the protection they offer and the safety of vaccines for young people. There will be a Covid-19 update from Director of Public Health Carole Furlong and addresses from celebrated scientist Dr Donald Palmer, Associate Professor of Immunology at the University of London, and from Dr Genevieve Small, Chair of NHS Harrow Clinical Commissioning Group.

Join the webinar here or phone +44 203 481 5237  or +44 203 481 5240 (Webinar ID: 954 6361 2320, Passcode: 113983)

Pinner Fair

The Pinner Association understands that, as last year and due to the current Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, Pinner Fair will not be held on 2nd June 2021.

However, contrary to the “urban myth” that by not holding the fair the charter granting the right to hold a fair would lapse, this is not the case and therefore Pinner Fair could be held again in 2022 (Covid permitting).

The article below is taken from our magazine The Villager (edition 249, March 2021) and explains why Pinner Fair will continue in future despite the effect of the pandemic curtailing the festivities in 2020 and 2021:

Pinner Fair

Pat Clarke’s scholarly article in The Villager (edition 247, July 2020) about the Royal Charter establishing Pinner Fair in 1336 posed the question whether legislation would be required to abolish it.  This set me thinking.

I remembered that when the Whitsun Bank Holiday was abolished in the 1960’s and replaced by the Spring Bank Holiday, Pinner Fair continued for some years to be held on the Wednesday following Whit Monday, which only occasionally fell on the Spring Bank Holiday.  Particularly since school half-terms invariably include the Bank Holiday, this meant that attendance at the Fair was usually much lower than before the change in the Bank Holiday.  I recalled that, some years later, the date of the Fair was changed to bring it in line with the Bank Holiday, although I could not remember when this happened.

Knowing that legal machinery existed to achieve this change, I was sure there would be a simple answer to Pat Clarke’s question and was prompted to re-read the late Jim Golland’s informative and entertaining book “Fair Enough”*.  Sure enough, this provided the answer.  Attempts to abolish the Fair have been made in the past but always without success.

The Fairs Act 1871 empowered the Home Secretary to abolish a fair if it was thought to be “unnecessary or injurious to the public” or that its abolition would be “for the convenience and advantage of the public”.  Representations accordingly had to be made by the local magistrates.  The passing of the Act precipitated the abolition in 1872 alone of some seventy fairs (including the one at neighbouring Harrow-on-the-Hill, which was alleged to be “to the detriment of the morals of the neighbourhood”).  From 1894, the Act was amended so that representations to the Home Secretary were to be made by local councils rather than by local magistrates.

It was the Fairs Act of 1873 that empowered the Home Secretary to change the date of a fair.  It was presumably pursuant to this Act that the Home Secretary of the day agreed, in 1972, to the change of the date of Pinner Fair from the Wednesday after Whitsun to the Wednesday after the Spring Bank Holiday.  (It had at some previous time been changed from the 24th June and the Charter had originally provided for a three-day fair, from the 23rd to the 25th June.)

The answer to Pat Clarke’s question thus appears to be that Harrow Council would need to persuade the Home Secretary (no doubt in the face of vehement counter-representations by interested groups) that the Fair was “unnecessary or injurious to the public” or that its abolition would be “for the convenience and advantage of the public”.  It could then be abolished pursuant to the Fairs Act 1871 (as amended).  Given the enthusiasm of most Pinner inhabitants for their fair, and its increasing popularity with the public over a much wider area, however, let us hope that this never comes to pass!

Michael Treisman,

Pinner Local History Society.

 

Scam Phone Message

Dear Watch Member,

A Pinner resident has kindly informed me of a scam phone call he received today.

The automated voice message states that your Apple iPhone, worth £1300, will be delivered tomorrow.

If this is okay, you do not need to do anything. If not okay, you are asked to press 1.

Please do NOT press 1; just put the phone down.

It is not known what might happen if you do press 1, but it would likely result in some financial loss.

When I dialled the phone number that placed the call, I received the, “Your call could not be completed as dialled” message.

For fraud and scam prevention advice please click here.

If you need to reply regarding this message, tap on this email address: [email protected]

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]

Pinner Village Hall is taking bookings.

This is a message from Pinner Village Hall.

Following yesterday’s Government announcement, PADCA are pleased to advise that Pinner Village Hall will be re-opening on Monday 17th May 2021.  Whilst the Government Roadmap is going to plan, please do not forget that not all restrictions have been lifted and you will still be required to adhere to the attached guidance to help keep Pinner Village Hall Covid-19 secure.  To summarize, the main points to following are:

  • Everyone will need to “check-in” on the NHS app using the NHS QR Code Poster located at the main entrance.  If you know that some of your attendees/members do not have smart phones, please keep a register of those in attendance and their contact details in case NHS Track & Trace need to be informed.
  • Everyone will be expected to wear face coverings whilst moving around the building, particularly when using more confined areas such as the toilets.
  • Everyone will be expected to maintain social distancing of 2m, or 1m plus with extra precautions (face coverings).  Whilst indoors, the “rule of six” must still be followed.
  • Use the hand sanitizer provided on entering the premises and wash your hands regularly.

Whilst I know that many of our regular users have now received both vaccinations, please remember that this doesn’t mean that you are immune from catching COVID-19 or from passing it onto others.  Lets help everyone feel safe by respecting each other and abiding by the rules for just a bit longer.  Hopefully “normality” will return and all restrictions will be lifted by 21st June!

I would like to say a specific “Welcome Back” to the following activities that will be resuming over the next couple of weeks and wish you all the best with your return:

  • Jazzercise
  • Drama with Sue
  • 1st Steps Linedance
  • Community Theatre with Marion
  • Pinner Players Theatre Company
  • Pinner Village Healing Centre
  • Phonics with Robot Reg
  • Catch The Fire Church

For those that will be returning after all restrictions are lifted, we look forward to seeing you then. 

With best wishes,

Lea
Booking Administrator
Pinner Village Hall
Chapel Lane
Pinner
HA5 1AA

Telephone:  020 8429 4320
www.pinnervillagehall.org.uk

 

 

Upcoming Webinars – Eid

Dear Watch Member,

Below is a list and dates of upcoming webinars you may be interested in participating in: 

Eid al-Fitr 

In celebration of Eid al-Fitr, the Metropolitan Police Service (MET) are hosting virtual Meet the Met events to engage with the Muslim community. Join us to hear from officers who are part of the Muslim Police Staff Association and will discuss and share their journey followed by a Q&A session. 

Thursday 13th May – 11am – 12pm

Friday 14th May – 11am – 12pm 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/eid-al-fitr-recruitment-webinar-metropolitan-police-tickets-114505109866

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 8721 2775