SFRS and Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Refresh Partnership to Strengthen Community Safety

While the organisations have worked together for a number of years, this refreshed approach builds on existing local activity and reflects a renewed focus on collaboration at a national level.

A key early step in the partnership is the co-location of Neighbourhood Watch Scotland staff within the SFRS East Asset Resource Centre at Newbridge. Working side by side supports closer day-to-day collaboration, joint planning, and more consistent engagement with communities.

The partnership brings together SFRS’s fire safety and prevention expertise with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland’s established, community-led networks. Together, the organisations aim to make safety advice clearer, more relevant, and easier for people to act on.

Another important element is the use of the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alert system to share fire safety messages directly with residents. While the system has already been used in parts of the East of Scotland, SFRS is now adopting a fully national approach. Led by the SFRS Prevention Directorate, the platform allows messages to be targeted by location, age, housing type, and other factors.

Cathy Barlow, Deputy Head of Prevention for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said:

“This refreshed partnership allows us to build on what has worked well locally and take a more consistent national approach to prevention. Co-locating with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland and expanding the use of the Alert system helps us reach communities more effectively with practical fire safety advice.”

Lesley Clark, Director for Neighbourhood Watch Scotland said:

“We’ve worked alongside the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for many years, and this renewed focus strengthens that relationship. By working more closely and supporting a national approach, we can help communities across Scotland feel informed, supported, and better connected on safety issues which aligns with our vision of Safer Neighbourhoods Stronger communities.”

Further supporting the partnership, Richard Whetton, Head of Governance, Strategy and Performance at SFRS, is a trustee on the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Board.

Both organisations will continue to build on this refreshed partnership to support prevention activity and improve outcomes for communities across Scotland.