The ‘Welcome to the Neighbourhood’ project kicked into action recently as Winchester Neighbourhood Services Officers, ward councillors, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and the University of Winchester joined forces to welcome new students to the city.
Project officers visited 700 student properties across Stanmore, Badger Farm, Oliver’s Battery, Weeke, Highcliffe, Winnall, Abbotts Barton, St Pauls Ward and the city centre to offer advice in terms of getting settled in and being good neighbours. Students were also given welcome booklets that provide information on council tax, waste collections and fire safety.
As part of the campaign, Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service also fitted smoke alarms in properties where they were found to be not working, or where there was an insufficient number for the property size.
Cllr Jackie Porter, Cabinet Member for built environment and wellbeing, said:
“This campaign has been an excellent way to welcome new students to our community, keep them safe and have a conversation about how people arriving into a new community can be ‘good neighbours’.”
Cllr Lucille Thompson, Leader of the council, said: “The Welcome to the Neighbourhood project has been a great way for us to engage with students across the Winchester area. It is vital young people coming here to study can successfully integrate in the neighbourhoods they live in. We want to ensure communities across the city continue to thrive, and by welcoming people at the outset of their time at the university in this way and having conversations about what matters to local people, we can help make that happen.”
