Community wardens Helen Inskip and Trudie Rose are celebrating a prestigious award for their contribution to tackling antisocial behaviour in Banbury.
Published: Thursday, 5th December 2024
On Thursday, 28 November, Cherwell District Council employees Trudie and Helen attended the 2024 Thames Valley Police Antisocial Behaviour Conference, held at the Kassam Stadium, where they were presented, alongside the TVP Banbury Neighbourhood Team, with the 2024 Laycock Award.
The wardens received their awards in recognition of their work alongside the police’s Banbury neighbourhood team during Operation Jankle. The operation, which has been ongoing over the course of the last year, focused on a group of young individuals who were engaged in antisocial behaviour and criminal damage and had caused alarm and distress to staff and customers at a shop in the Bretch Hill area of Banbury.
Helen and Trudie’s work involved gathering intelligence and building relationships with residents and staff at the affected business so that they had the trust and support they needed to report the crimes affecting their community.
Councillor Rob Parkinson, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said: “We are tremendously proud of Helen and Trudie and the work they are doing. Operation Jankle targeted a group of young individuals who were causing concern in the community.
“The wardens carried out high-visibility patrols as part of the operation. They helped give members of the public the confidence and reassurance they needed to make a number of reports to the police, as well as gathering intelligence of their own.
“This gave the police the evidence they needed to ultimately make arrests and secure prosecutions. Banbury is a safer town as a result, and it is very fitting for the officers to have received this recognition from their police colleagues.”
The awards were presented at the conference by Professor Gloria Laycock from University College London, a leading expert in crime science, and Assistant Chief Constable Christian Bunt.
Helen and Trudie were invited to speak at the conference alongside PS Sarah Nash and PC Shaireen Khan to showcase some of the partnership work used during Operation Jankle.
Helen and Trudie can regularly be seen patrolling the streets of Banbury and the surrounding villages. Residents are welcome to approach them for advice, support and to report any concerns.