The Victoria Park Neighbourhood Watch (VPNHW) hosted its seventh Kids Safety Training and Annual Awards ceremony at Exeter Park in Victoria Park, Somerset West, on Saturday 11 October.
The lively community event combined a strong educational focus for children with heartfelt appreciation for the security companies, the City of Cape Town’s Parks and Recreation Department, and some sponsors of the VPNHW.
The programme has steadily grown over the past few months, now attracting an average of 40 children each month.
The children in question don’t just come from Victoria Park itself, but also from neighbouring suburbs, such as Lourensia Park, Helderzicht and Croydon, reflecting the broad appeal and reputation of the initiative.
This month’s training centred on an important theme: social-media awareness. With the school holidays and summer approaching, VPNHW wants to ensure children are well equipped to safely navigate the online world.
The interactive training covered different forms of social media, how people use social media, the importance of protecting personal information and how to recognise and respond to suspicious online behaviour.
Children also learnt about hackers, the dangers of sharing their personal information, what is artificial intelligence and cyberbullying.
The next and final training session for the year will take place on Tuesday 11 November, focusing on healthy eating. It will conclude with the Kids Training Awards, celebrating those who have consistently attended sessions and advanced through the programme’s levels.
Following the children’s segment, the focus turned to recognising the many partners who contribute to the success of the neighbourhood watch.
Certificates and trophies were presented to several local security companies, including AM Security, Bay Guard Security, ADT Fidelity, Securite Security, Gordon’s Bay Security (GBSec) and Vetus Schola, in appreciation of their ongoing dedication and community service.
The City’s Parks and Recreation Department also received awards for its support, as its officials have significantly upgraded the parks in Victoria Park and also for providing benches for people to sit on.
Local businesses ACDC Electrical Somerset West and BUCO Somerset West were also honoured for their sponsorships and support of VPNHW activities.
A special word of thanks was also given to In2 Badges & Awards Somerset West for the donation of the trophies.
The watch remains an active and committed presence in the community, with members patrolling both day and night on volunteer time to ensure residents can rest peacefully.
VPNHW has also decided to run for the City’s Best Neighbourhood Watch Award, and residents are encouraged to support them by submitting a motivation through the City’s online awards portal.
๏ฎ For more information or to get involved with the VPNHW, send a WhatsApp message to
064 866 6990.
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