Herefordshire's first No Cold Calling Zone launched

Herefordshire’s first No Cold Calling Zone at Gorsley, near Ross-on-Wye, has been officially launched in a joint campaign by trading standards and the police to protect residents from rogue traders and distraction burglary. 
 
Distraction burglaries involve criminals, often called bogus callers, distracting or tricking individuals into letting them access their property. Rogue traders call unsolicited and carry out shoddy work for which they charge extortionate amounts of money. On occasions they are known to take their victims to the bank for cash payment which may amount to several thousands of pounds.

The scheme was officially launched on Friday, January 12 at Gorsley Baptist Church. Members of the community together with representatives from trading standards, West Mercia Police and Neighbourhood Watch were in attendance.

In launching the scheme, Councillor Harry Bramer, ward member for Penyard, said: “I am delighted Gorsley has been chosen for this pilot scheme which is the first in Herefordshire and one of the first in the West Midlands.

“This is a very rural community but it also has excellent transport links and there have been occasions when villains have travelled here off the motorway, carried out distraction burglaries and then shot back to the major conurbations.

“I welcome any initiative in rural areas to protect residents and this scheme will empower people to say no to doorstep callers and prevent distraction burglaries. I also hope we can now create new No Cold Calling zones in other parts of rural Herefordshire.

“We don’t want this initiative to prevent community organisations from keeping in contact with local people but we would remind any legitimate callers to carry ID cards or make appointments before they visit people within the zone,” Councillor Bramer added.

Mr Richard Smith, assistant Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator for Gorsley, welcomed the scheme saying it would help the most vulnerable members of the community.

The Trading Standards Institute launched the “No Cold Calling” initiative in 2005 after research showed that cold callers were a major concern to people. No Cold Calling zones have increasingly been set up in the country with encouraging feedback from these areas reporting reductions in cold callers, doorstep crime and the fear of crime.
 
Setting up such a zone is a warning to cold callers to stay away. Notices to this effect are displayed in the area and they have proved to be effective in deterring potential cold callers.

To help local residents deal with persistent callers the trading standards service is providing them with information packs as well as Notice to Callers display cards with the telephone numbers of the police and trading standards on the reverse.
 
The village of Gorsley consists of some 360 households and consultation through Neighbourhood Watch has indicated strong support for the “No Cold Calling Zone” scheme. 

Further details on setting up similar schemes or on the information packs available, can be obtained from Trading Standards by contacting Tereza Atyeo on 01432 383229