One of the pioneers of the Neighbourhood Watch movement has been awarded the MBE in the Birthday Honours.
Keith Warren receives the award for his community service to the people of Chorley. He was nominated by his local MP, Lindsay Hoyle, with the backing of the Lancashire Constabulary.
When he first heard the news it was "a bolt out of the blue – the best-kept secret in Lancashire," said Keith.
Back in 1984 Keith and his wife Joan retired and moved to their bungalow in Sutton Lane, Adlington, Lancashire.
Keith takes up the story: "The neighbours were plagued by the usual problems of juvenile nuisance. Our old-fashioned village bobby came to see us and said, 'let's be the first Neighbourhood Watch group in this area'." Over the past 23 years Keith has devoted his energies to supporting and helping start Watch groups of all shapes and sizes. He admits he is as busy now as when he was in full-time work.
As well as running the Sutton Lane group, Keith is Chair of Chorley District Neighbourhood Watch, and Chair of the Lancashire Association, with 1759 registered co-ordinators covering 79,000 households.
Most recently Keith has been elected Chair of the newly formed North West Watch Group and will represent the North West on the Home Office-led Neighbourhood Watch National Steering Group.
Keith said: "I have always had a wonderful team of co-ordinators around me – and the support of my wife Joan and family to help me."
He believes that Neighbourhood Watch is now entering a new and exciting future. He said: "I really do believe that Neighbourhood Watch has turned a corner. The advent of neighbourhood policing has meant that, in Lancashire, Neighbourhood Watch has really come to the fore.
"Neighbourhood Watch is the eyes and ears of the community. And that applies not just for the police, but for trading standards and for council environmental issues."
