The Arun Association was formed in December 1991 and has an Executive Committee elected annually from and by its Co-ordinators. It is an independent body and is reliant upon its own efforts to raise funds for its projects and activities.

It was created to work in close partnership with the Sussex Police and from small beginnings it has an ever- widening range of activities and a membership that has grown in excess of 15,000 households.

During 1998 it became actively involved with the Arun District Community Safety Partnership, and in 2000 changed its title to the ARUN NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH ASSOCIATION

The River Arun and the Castle at Arundel

The main objectives include but are not limited to :-

• Promoting home security and other measures which reduce the opportunities for crime to be committed.
• Fostering communications between members and the police.
• Encouraging members to be alert and vigilant and more observant during their normal daily lives.
• Watching over the vulnerable to prevent them from being victims of crime.
• Reducing the fear of crime amongst all members of the community - from the youngest to the oldest.

• A marked reduction in local crime - burglary, car theft, graffiti, and vandalism.
• Reduced risk to children in playgrounds, in the street and public places.
• Advice on security matters and information re local crime is available.
• A reduction in the cost of premiums is given by most insurance companies for house and contents insurance.
• An improved quality of life and community spirit.

Membership of the Arun Neighbourhood Watch Association is free although the Executive Committee do expect members to advertise their participation in a scheme by prominently displaying the Neighbourhood Watch logo. It is essential that the would be burglar,conman, conwoman etc is made aware that he/she is in an area which is alert and which has taken all reasonable precautions to safeguard both property and the vulnerable citizens.

The Arun Association has a steadily growing membership within Littlehampton, Arundel and the surrounding urban and rural areas. The membership is subdivided into some 550+ separate Groups or Schemes each covering, on average, 25 to 30 households. Each Group or Scheme has a Co-ordinator who acts as the focus for communications with the Executive Committee,Area Co-ordinators and the Police Neighbourhood Specialist Teams.

Area Co-ordinators provide close support and assistance to the Group or Scheme Co-ordinators, deliver newsletters and publications for onward distribution to members; set up new Groups /Schemes; recruit and brief new Group/Scheme Co-ordinators.

Co-ordinators and members meet five times a year when speakers from other organisations are invited to address the meeting on topics of common interest, and also when other matters concerning the Association may be raised. At the Annual General Meeting all Co-ordinators are entitled to vote in the election of Officers and Members of the Executive Committee.

Executive Committee Members elected from and by the Co-ordinators at the AGM, meet six times a year to manage the Association business. The Officers and Members of the Executive Committee can be e-mailed,directly from this page, by clicking on a selected name below.

Secretary: Peter Harbord
Editor: Denis Carver
Web Master: Adrian Oliver

Past and Present Chairmen

The West Downs Watch

Published three times a year by the Arun Neighbourhood Watch Association and delivered to every one of its 15,000 + household members. It covers a wide range of topics relevant to the Association's activities such as information on bogus callers, drugs, current projects, reports on speakers and meetings etc. It is free to members and funded by its advertisers.

The Arun Watchword Newsletter

Compiled monthly by the Arun Neighbourhood Watch Association. In addition to general information concerned with crime prevention it lists burglaries committed during the past month. Each entry on the list is made as and when the crime is reported providing an up to date record that is accessible on the web site twenty four hours a day. For those registered with crimEmail automated notifications of crimes committed in their selected areas are also sent. Hard copies of the Newsletter are distributed to every Co-ordinator and in many areas to every household member.

Communication for the Association should be addressed to:

The Secretary of the Association 
c/o Crime Prevention Co-ordinator
West Downs Divisional HQ
Centenary House
Durrington Lane
Worthing 
W Sussex BN13 2PQ

Communication for the Crime Prevention Co-ordinator should be addressed to:

The Crime Prevention Co-ordinator 

West Downs Divisional HQ
Centenary House
Durrington Lane
Worthing 
W Sussex BN13 2PQ

Association Border

The Association's borders extend from Aldingbourne in the West to Clapham in East and from the seashore to the South Downs, which includes:-