Message sent by
Catherine Dunn (NHWN, Administrator, England & Wales)

Dear Neighbourhood & Home Watch members & coordinators,

The Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network has developed a new service called Neighbourhood Return (www.ourturn.org.uk).  For the last year it has been piloted in Thames Valley, Northamptonshire and Waltham Forest and funded by the BIG Lottery, Oxford Health Trust and Thames Valley Police.

The Network coordinates volunteers to go and search for people with dementia who may have got lost or wandered.

Carers of people with dementia can register the person and if they go missing, then they have a direct telephone number for Dudley Telecare, a 24 hour call centre which will initiate and coordinate the search.

Registered volunteers are then contacted and asked if they can participate in a search in their area.  Only the volunteers who agree are then sent the details of the missing person and the details on where to search. 

Thee service used the same database and communication system which you are registered to and receiving this message by. 

The Network is looking to secure funding to roll the service out nationally.  You can register as a volunteer even if the service is not live in your area yet.  You will be kept up-to-date on how the service is progressing and when it will be coming to your area.

To register as a volunteer, please login to your account (by clicking 'Login to site' at the bottom of this message) and go to 'Message settings'.  Select 'Neighbourhood Return' as an Information Provider if you have not already done so.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Catherine Dunn
Campaigns, Events & Database Manager
NHWN