Val McPherson from Thames Valley was recently formally thanked by Neighbourhood Watch Network at a celebration hosted in London by Neighbourhood Watch and the Home Office. Val has volunteered for over 37 years at Neighbourhood Watch, at both local and national level.
To mark this notable achievement a reception was held on 4th December 2019, attended by senior Home Office officials, Police & the Crime Commissioner of Thames Valley Anthony Stansfeld, trustees and the CEO of Neighbourhood Watch, and friends and colleagues from Neighbourhood Watch across the country.
There were a host of speakers congratulating Val on her remarkable achievement, and to highlight memorable moments from her long history of volunteering. These included John Hayward-Cripps and David Huse from Neighbourhood Watch, Andrew Johnson from the Home Office, Anthony Stansfeld and others, who reflected upon Val’s loyalty, dedication and hard work over many years.
To commemorate the occasion, Val was presented with a tribute from Neighbourhood Watch, letters of thanks from The Right Hon. Theresa May, Chief Constable John Campbell, and a local resident, and a personalised football shirt bearing no. 37, signed by many of her friends and well-wishers.
In the early 1980s, Val joined Neighbourhood Watch and became the co-ordinator for her local scheme. Over time she took on more responsibilities and was for many years the Chair of the Thames Valley Association and the South East Regional Forum which included oversight of the Neighbourhood Alert database and messaging system being shared with TV Police. In 2015 she was awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to policing and community safety.
Val continues to be heavily involved in running her local Neighbourhood Watch and to support at a national level.