Bonfire Night is fast approaching. In my house, the loud bangs are not popular with either the kids or the animals. But for many others, the colour and spectacle are among the highlights of the season. This year, Diwali, the Festival of Lights, also falls on 8 November. Fireworks are sometimes used as part of those celebrations too. Whatever your plans, we can probably all agree that the key to a successful night is staying safe and being considerate. We’ve pulled together some of the official advice for you here .  Other stories we're sharing this month include:

Respect Orders launched

People who behave anti-socially could be hit with tougher restrictions as new Respect Orders come into force across England and Wales, enabling police and councils to take stronger enforcement action. Courts can ban offenders from town centres or stop them drinking in public hotspots like high streets and local parks. They can hand out fines and community punishments, including curfews or hours of volunteering. People can also be ordered to do drug or alcohol programmes or anger management courses. Read the full story here .

Neighbourhood Watch volunteers share success stories with ministers and the media

Volunteers in Staffordshire and Hertfordshire have been speaking to the Policing Minister and the media about tackling antisocial behaviour at a local level. Angela Michell, a coordinator in Hemel Hempstead, joined Policing Minister Sarah Jones on a walkabout of the town centre, alongside David Taylor MP and senior police leaders from Hertfordshire Police's Anti-Social Behaviour Team. Meanwhile, Geraint Lang, Association Lead and Chair of Staffs Watch, spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live about the success the organisation has achieved in Penkridge. You can listen to the interview here (scroll to 1.06).

AlarmID – the gift of peace of mind

Give something genuinely useful this Christmas. AlarmID is a portable tamper alarm that helps protect bags, laptops and suitcases wherever life takes you. Featuring fingerprint activation and a loud 100dB siren, it's a thoughtful gift for students, commuters, travellers and loved ones whose safety and peace of mind matter most. Get the exclusive NW discount here . – AD.

Deepfake Dialogues

Our Cyberhood Ambassadors have been working with the Deep Truth Project, a nonprofit organisation dedicated to building public resilience against deepfakes and AI-driven misinformation. They work through educational outreach, empowering people to protect themselves and to maintain trust. They also have a podcast with some really interesting stories exploring all aspects of AI and deepfakes, listen on YouTube , Spotify or Apple .

One in eight children don’t feel safe in their local areas

Research shows that around 12% of children in England, or roughly one in eight, report feeling unsafe in their local areas. The data comes from a report recently published by the Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza. The dataset brings together 162 measures of children’s lives to build a picture of what it is like to grow up in different areas. Read the report and the interactive data here .

Nominations are open for the Kings Award for Voluntary Service

Thousands of Neighbourhood Watch volunteers across England and Wales make a difference through their volunteering. The King's Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) was created to celebrate the contributions of local volunteer groups. Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest award given to local voluntary groups in the UK. Nominations will close on 1 December. Find out more here .

Community spotlight: Newham

Newham Neighbourhood Watch in London recently supported a collaboration between British Transport Police and the Metropolitan Police in East Ham. Together, they delivered action days for Operation ADDER (Addiction, Diversion, Disruption, Enforcement and Recovery), with high-visibility engagement around commercial hubs, transport locations and local parks to tackle drug dealing, anti-social behaviour and street crime.

Christmas shopping? Fundraise while you shop online

When you buy things online, you could be raising donations for Neighbourhood Watch Network as well. More than 8,000 retailers, including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S, are ready to donate, and it won’t cost you a penny! Each time you shop online, visit the easyfundraising site first to find the retailer you want. After you’ve checked out, they will donate to Neighbourhood Watch Network at no extra cost to you. Go to Easyfundraising and join for free.

The UK's traditional landline network is due to close in January 2027

Make the move to Digital Voice well before the deadline for switchover, so your BT services are not disrupted. If BT gets in touch with you about switching, make sure you confirm an appointment soon. Still need to book your appointment or need some help?  BT customers can call the customer service team on 0330 1234 150 or simply dial 150 from their landline. Not a BT customer but have questions? Contact your phone provider directly for advice and support. Discover more on the BT website . – AD.

That is it for this edition – we’ll have more news in two weeks. Don’t forget to tag Neighbourhood Watch Network in your posts and stories on social media. We love seeing what the community is doing. Best wishes,

P.S. If you want to read this newsletter on our website, you can do so here .

Transport and Highways News November News update Be bright, safe and seen: Cheshire road safety campaign As daylight hours become shorter, visibility is reduced and road conditions can become more challenging. The campaign reminds drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and equestrians to take simple steps to stay safe and be seen throughout the autumn and early winter months. Throughout October and November, road safety officers and partner organisations will be delivering community engagement events and educational sessions in schools across Cheshire, offering practical advice, safety information and activities designed to help people stay safe on their journeys. More information £1 bus travel for young people across Cheshire West and Chester Young people aged 16 to 19 in Cheshire West and Chester can travel on buses for just £1 per single journey on all local participating bus services, thanks to a new scheme being launched by the Council. This is a part of the Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan, supporting young people to get around independently. Fare reductions are made possible through a grant from the Government and the support of bus operators in the Enhanced Partnership.  The NextGenTravel Pass offers affordable bus travel on any route, at any time, including evenings and weekends, on all local participating bus services, as long as the journey is within, starts or ends in Cheshire West and Chester. Find out more Cycle skills Adult and Family cycle skills Improve your skill and confidence when you ride. From complete beginners to experienced cyclists, our friendly training sessions are on offer if you live, work or study in Cheshire West and Chester. There are adult sessions and family sessions available. More details and information on how to book  The Chester Cycle Campaign provide a great interactive cycle map to plan your ride too More information Two-way traffic returned to Winsford Station Bridge with weight restriction in place Two-way traffic has been reinstated on Winsford Station Bridge following further engineering assessments, with a 7.5 tonne weight restriction and 20mph speed limit  introduced to protect the structure. The 7.5 tonne weight restriction is essential to protect the bridge while engineers continue to assess its condition and develop longer-term plans. A signed diversion route for vehicles over 7.5 tonnes will be in place via the A533 Bostock Road and A5018 Wharton Park Road. Find out more itravel expanding to serve more rural communities itravel is a demand responsive transport service, meaning it does not follow fixed routes or timetables. Instead, journeys are booked in advance and routes adapt to meet passenger needs. The service covers a wide area including Helsby, Frodsham, Delamere and Acton Bridge, as well as some other villages, where no commercial services are available. itravel has been extended to include Thornton-le-Moors, Great Barrow and Ashton to the East, and Whitegate and Acton Bridge to the West. This means more people can access comfortable, flexible, on-demand transport, with improved connections to key destinations. Service map Operating Monday to Friday, 7am to 7pm Saturday 9am to 5pm within the original operational area only Increased capacity with an additional vehicle It is simple, easy and cost effective to use, just register to use the service, book your journey and you’re off. The many simple, convenient and varied ways of booking makes it easier to connect you to people and places. Book online,  mobile phone app, or phone call. Booking details  Chester Park and Ride is running late night services over Christmas, the last bus from Foregate Street will be 9pm on Thursdays from 19 November to 17 December.   Travelling in to Chester for work or leisure? Park and Ride operates from Upton, Boughton Heath and Wrexham Road. Free parking, there are group tickets available providing even better value for families and friends.  Buses operate three separate circular routes direct into the city, then back to your car park. PR1 – Wrexham Road Park and Ride (1,200 total parking spaces, 14 disabled spaces): Grosvenor Road (for Racecourse and Law Courts) – Bus Interchange – Foregate Street stop AA (for shops and visitor attractions) – Pepper Street (for the River Dee and Boat Trips) – Grosvenor Road - Wrexham Road Park & Ride PR2 – Boughton Heath Park and Ride (750 total parking spaces, 12 disabled spaces): Boughton Waitrose (for Business Quarter) - The Bars – Bus Interchange – Foregate Street stop AA (for shops and visitor attractions) – Boughton Waitrose - Boughton Heath Park & Ride PR3 – Upton (Zoo) Park and Ride (460 total parking spaces, 10 disabled spaces): Liverpool Road (for Countess Hospital) – Liverpool Road Abbotts Grange (for University) – Bus Interchange – Foregate Street stop BB (for shops and visitor attractions) – Liverpool Road Abbotts Grange – Liverpool Road (Countess Hospital) - Upton (Zoo) Park & Ride Find out more Get around for £2 in 2027 Single bus fares are capped at £3 this year, reducing to £2 from January 2027 ensuring services remain affordable and supporting travel in rural areas and towns. Cheshire West and Chester Council has worked with operators to encourage as many as possible to participate, although some services will not be eligible. Journeys starting in Wales are not eligible for the scheme, however local concessions have been introduced by some operators.  Find our more Report highways issues  Highways issues can be reported online: roads and footways drainage and flooding street lights trees public right of way bridges and structures road signs and markings gritting Find out more Grid/gullies work programme 36,102 (gullies) have been cleaned since 1 April 2026 as part of the twelve month cleaning programme. There is an online interactive map to see when the gullies were last drained or report a blocked gully. Check now  Planned works Highways maintenance The Council manages around 1,419 miles of road in the borough, enough to take you from Chester to Rome. The Council uses preventative treatments on roads where possible, these are products and methods that help extend the life of the road, and get the greatest life from the road before more costly structural maintenance is needed. Since 1 April 2026 Pothole permanent repairs -  6,273 Gullies cleansed - 36,102 Find out more Major Works by utility companies Severn Trent – Chester works – February 2026 to April 2027 Severn Trent, is replacing approximately 41km of water pipe across Great Barrow, Mickle Trafford, Aldford, Saighton, Eccleston and Pulford. Work started in February, with completion expected by April 2027. Green Lake Lane & Rushmere Lane End date: 07 November 2026 Traffic management:  Road closure - access to frontages  School Lane - Rushmere Lane to Church Lane End date: 14 November 2026 Traffic management: Road closure - access to frontages  Church Lane Start date: 9 November 2026 End date: 27 November 2026 Traffic management: Road closure - access to frontages  Find out more M6 Thelwall Viaduct (Northbound and Southbound) - Expansion joint replacement works Essential maintenance work on the M6 at the Thelwall Viaduct between junction 20 and junction 21 in Warrington with traffic management between junctions 20 and 21 until Spring 2027: • Daytime – 4 lanes of traffic will be maintained in both directions of travel, with a 40mph speed restriction in place on both carriageways. The southbound carriageway will be utilised for one of the northbound lanes. • Night-time – 4 lanes of traffic will be maintained on the southbound carriageway, whilst the northbound carriageway will be restricted to one lane between 10pm and 5am. The northbound exit slip road at junction 21 will remain open at all times. Find out more Plan your journey All of the current and planned roadworks are shown online. This includes all works being undertaken by utility companies on our roads. Check the map Winter weather alerts The Highways Service and its maintenance contractor, Colas, are always ready to tackle the coldest weather conditions. The fleet of 16 gritting trucks, keeps 515 miles of roads safe for drivers, using 70 tonnes of rocksalt for each gritting run to treat key routes across the borough. Find out more As the weather gets colder search #cwacgrit for the latest gritting news Public transport Using Public Transport can really help to avoid road congestion. A useful journey planning tool to help you plan your journey is Traveline  . For journeys into Chester, you can use Chester Park & Ride. There is an on-demand itravel bus service.  Further information can be found on bus operator’s websites or visit:  Cheshire West and Chester Public Transport or National Rail Enquiries Traveline Visit Traveline to help find routes and times for your travel anywhere in Great Britain, including live departures and bus timetables. Find your travel routes Find out more about...

Each week of the year Christians in Kingsley pray specially for people in a different area of the village and its surroundings.

During November we think of, and pray for people living in: -

W/c Nov 1st Depmore Lane
W/c Nov 8th The Cross
W/c Nov 15th Highbank Road
W/c Nov 22nd Top Road
W/c Nov 29th Mansefield Road

We invite you to add your own prayers

Each week of the year Christians in Kingsley pray specially for people in a different area of the village and its surroundings.

During October we think of, and pray for people living in: -

W/c Oct 4th Bradley
W/c Oct 14th Brookside
W/c Oct 18th Lower Brookside and Well Lane
W/c Oct 25th Hollow Lane and St John's School

We invite you to add your own prayers