Big Jack kicks off drive to cheer up his home town

Nov 22 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

FOOTBALL legend Jack Charlton is returning to his roots to help launch a new campaign aimed at improving part of his Northumberland home town.

Big Jack – who with brother Bobby was part of the England World Cup-winning team of 1966 – will be in Ashington on Monday to kick off the week-long drive in the Hirst area of the town.

The Week of Action involves a range of initiatives including clean-ups of the area, community safety activities, advice workshops and high visibility patrols by police and council wardens.

A Northumbria Police mobile police station will be based in Hirst Park to encourage people to get involved in Neighbourhood Watch, offer crime prevention advice and give locals the chance to meet their neighbourhood policing team.

The campaign has been organised by the Wansbeck Crime, Drugs and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDDRP) and more than 30 agencies have signed up to be involved.

Every day from Monday to Friday a briefing will be held in the Hirst Pavilion at 8.30am, with local residents free to go along and find out how they can get involved.

Sgt Jon Bensley of Ashington neighbourhood police team, who has helped organise the event, said: “It’s great that a local and national legend like Jack Charlton is giving his support to this initiative. I’m sure he’ll be impressed with all the work that is going on in the area.

“This is the first time we have tried a full week of action in Ashington, involving so many agencies.

“It is not solely about driving down crime or tidying up the area, although these will form part of what we want to achieve. We want to get the residents themselves involved in helping out, as well as showing them the range of activities and help on offer.

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