Category: News

Keep Your Money Safe Online and Offline

Keep Your Money Safe Online and Offline

Dear Watch Member,

The closure of many businesses and changes in most people’s routines has presented new opportunities to criminals looking to commit fraud and cybercrime. Those working from home or furloughed are likely to see more fraudulent emails, SMS messages or bogus callers.

Fraudsters are taking advantage of the fact that more people are at home due to social distancing measures. Naturally they will be easier to target by bogus callers who look to commit burglaries by distracting the occupant or posing as someone from the water board or gas supplier. People will also be spending more time online, making them more susceptible to online fraud, such as phishing emails, bogus text messages and social media posts.

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to fraud:

  • Don’t respond to emails or texts out of the blue asking you for your personal or financial info
  • Don’t respond to messages asking you to “confirm” or “verify” your personal or financial details – this is a common tactic used by criminals
  • Create strong passwords using three random words. For example such as a fruit, a colour, and make of car i.e. Yellowappleford1! Use passwords with over 15 characters, using upper and lower case, numbers and symbols.
  • Use a different password for every login and use either a password manager or if you don’t want to / can’t do that write them down if you can’t remember them. If you do write them down don’t leave your password list in plain sight.
  • Use two factor authentication wherever this is an option, which requires two different methods to prove your identity before you can access a service. This is usually a password and another method, such as a code sent to your mobile phone.

For more simple tips on how to protect yourself online, visit www.cyberaware.gov.uk.

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

Regards,
Lee O’Brien
Pinner Safer Neighbourhood Team

Pinner Memorial Park & Pinner Village Gardens

Spring is in the air, here are a few photo’s from Pinner Memorial Park & Pinner Village Gardens.

If you have recent photos from our parks – please send to [email protected]  If they are suitable I’ll add them to the slide show. – Thanks

 

Car Park Closures

In line with government guidelines on non essential journeys – Car parks at the following parks, playing fields and open spaces are now closed.‬

You should only be using your local parks for daily exercise. Otherwise stay at home! ‬

Looks like the car parks for Pinner Memorial Park are being closed.

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Harrow NHS Urgent PPE Equipment Supplies

Harrow NHS Covid 19 Support page We are now including all NHS services across the borough as we have had more and more pleas for help from. district nurses, general practitioner, care homes and more Northwick Park Hospital intensive care unit are in urgent need of PPE equipment to help care for patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nationwide, nurses are threatening to walk out as they do not have the basic supplies to protect them against the virus whilst treating our loved ones.

We are sourcing as much Equipment as we can, so either a monetary donation or donations of any of the following equipment would be greatly received.

  •          Disposable Aprons
  •          Disposable gloves
  •          Fluid resistant face mask/visors
  •          Eye protection
  •          FFP-3 Masks We are also now collecting cleaning supplies
  •          Bleach
  •          Disinfectant
  •          Sanitiser (Wash & Hand)
  •          Isopropyl Alcohol (70% or more)
  •          Blue/White Roll

Contact us to arrange collection or delivery Contact us via our group for fast and easy collections https://www.facebook.com/groups/218195329264198/   We now have a storage unit that is being used as a central stores for GP’s, District Nurses, Care Homes and other local NHS Staff. If you are in need of any supplies, please call Sarah on 07360 660 9234 as collection will need to be pre-arranged.

Harrow NHS Urgent PPE Equipment Supplies

 

Harrow Giving Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund

Who We Are
Harrow Community Action (HCA) is a consortium working to strengthen the voluntary & community sector.

What We Do
HCA provide an opportunity for Harrow organisations to work in partnership to secure larger contracts.

… And Why
To create a stronger sense of local identity, engagement, support, collaboration and focused mission for the voluntary and community sector.

Harrow Giving Coronavirus Emergency Response Fund
A joint fund has been created from public donations being received through the Harrow Coronavirus Community Fund and Harrow Council.

This fund is focusing on the initial mobilization period and ways to support the most vulnerable.
We are looking for projects that can help people now, so will welcome applications for existing projects that could be scaled up, extended with extra money, or projects that are currently being set up.

Funding available: £2,000 – £5,000 per organisation.
To apply for the funding please read the guidance and complete the applications form:

Support to complete the application

If you need support with completing the application, please contact:

For more information visit: http://harrowgiving.org.uk/covid-19-funding/

Donate to the fund

Please share details of this fund so that we can increase the amount available to support Harrow residents during this crisis.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/charity-web/charity/displayCharityCampaignPage.action?campaignId=11532&charityId=1015747

Advice, Information and Befriending Fund – COMING SOON

Harrow Council have committed funds for Information, Advice and Befriending. This information will be available soon.

We are compiling a list of other funding available. This document will be updated on a regular basis so please keep the document link saved.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1aroa5KlVQr04g-aHEoVwmv2AhoO_mOXNOG7PPAEj5as/edit?usp=sharing

Harrow Council Road Maintenence

Harrow Council Logo

How the Coronavirus is affecting Road

Maintenance and Travel

As of 24th March 2020 the Highways Service is only operating a limited service as a consequence of the Coronavirus health emergency.

To accord with Government’s requirements to maintain social distancing it has been necessary to scale back on the full range of works that we currently undertake, to ensure the safety of Council employees, those of our contractors’ employees and the general public.

We will therefore only be undertaking the most immediate and urgent carriageway and footway repairs in order to will keep our highways infrastructure safe for both motorists and pedestrians.

The network will continue to be inspected on a routine basis.

Please continue to report any hazards or defects that are of concern via the council’s website reporting forms.

These requests will be prioritised and actioned where they are considered urgent. Where no immediate action is considered necessary they will be reviewed at a later date.

For street lighting equipment issues we will only be able to attend to emergencies.  For example where a street lighting column is damaged in a road traffic collision it will be removed and made safe.

We will not be able to attend to faulty street lights that are out of illumination. Any major power outages affecting street lighting will be the responsibility of UK Power Networks.

Thank you for your patience during this period of uncertainty and we hope that we will be able to return to a normal service in the very near future.

Scam COVID-19 Text Messages

Dear Watch Member,

We have been informed that the Government has only sent one text message to the public regarding new rules about staying at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Any others claiming to be from UK Government are FALSE.

Criminals are able to use spoofing technology to send texts and emails impersonating organisations that you know and trust.

We would remind anyone who receives an unexpected text or email asking for personal or financial details not click on the links or attachments, and don’t respond to any messages that ask for your personal or financial details.

If you receive messages about fake GOV.UK/Coronavirus messages or any other Coronavirus related scams, please report it to Action Fraud – https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report-phishing.

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