Task 1The following is a comparison of Crook and Hamsterley.CrookCrook is a town situated in Co. Durham. Surrounding it lies Wolsingham, Willington and Bishop Auckland, all of which are towns too. The closest of these town is Willington which is approximately three miles from Crook. Next there is Bishop Auckland which is around 5 miles from Crook and finally there is Wolsingham which is approximately 6 miles from Crook.Crook is a massively populated area with approximately 30’000 residents, most of which live in the three main council estates which are Low Mown Meadows, Barrets and Watergate Estate each occupy approximately the same amount of residents.

Employment in Crook varies quite a lot but the main work is factory work. Although the highest percentage of people work in unskilled occupations like factories in Crook, there are several other jobs too. There are partly skilled jobs such as taxi drivers and postal workers, there are jobs which need a certain amount of skill like office workers, secretaries, electricians, plumbers, builders and engineers. There are also manegerial and technical occupations in Crook such as teachers, police constables and sergeants and fire fighters. Finally there is a very limited amount of professional occupations in Crook, however there are some. These include mainly doctors, bank managers and dentists. Professional occupations are extremely rare in Crook.

Because of the lack of professional occupations in Crook, just about all of Crooks residents are working class, however there is a selection of wealthy people who are in the minority. There are 3 main estates in Crook, two of which house no wealthy people just working class and the final one houses little if any wealthy people.The average age of the residents of Crook is middle aged, old people are the minority in Crook and children occupy a huge percentage of Crooks population. In my opinion there are little old people in Crook simply because it is a town and retired residents don’t want hassle from youngsters like crime etc so the aged tend to live in villages.

Finally the provision of facilities in Crook are as follows:Pubs SolicitorsPizza shops ParksLibraries Town HallTakeaways BanksSchools Building SocietiesVideo shops HairdressersLeisure centre SurgeriesHousing estates DentistsSupermarkets Taxi servicesCouncil Building ShopsJob centres GaragesPost offices Petrol StationsOutdoor markets CafesChip shops Betting shopsWorking mans clubs ChemistsAmusements Bowling GreensNewsagentsGymPolice stationFire stationAmbulance stationChurchesTennis courtsFootball PitchesHamsterleyHamsterley is a village situated in Co. Durham. Surrounding it lies Wolsingham, Crook and Bishop Auckland, all of which are towns. The closest of these town is Wolsingham which is approximately three miles from Hamsterley. Next there is Bishop Auckland which is around 5 miles from Crook and finally there is Willington which is approximately 8 miles from Hamsterley.Hamsterley is a sparsely populated area with approximately 1000 residents. There are no estates in Hamsterley therefore the population is dispersed evenly throughout the village.Employment in Hamsterley varies very little as the main work is agricultural work.

Although the highest percentage of people work on farms, there are several other jobs too. There are unskilled jobs such as shop assistants as there are two small shops. There are partly skilled jobs such as taxi drivers and postal workers. Finally there are some managerial and technical occupations such as teaching as there is a small school in Hamsterley.The average age of the residents of Hamsterley is the elderly, old people are the majority in Hamsterley as it is extremely quiet and isn’t prone to violence, graffiti or crime. Children in Hamsterley are rare but the few that live there are generally small children, under 10. In my opinion there is not many middle aged people simply because most work is found in towns and cities and not villages so to get to work, they would have to travel whereas if they live and work in the same town it makes it a lot easier.Finally the provision of facilities in Hamsterley are as follows:Village Hall ButchersInfant school Post officeChurch PondBus route NewsagentsTask 2CrookInfants (5-8)As you can see there is not a massive amount of facilities for youngsters aged from 5 to 8 but there are enough to keep their small minds occupied and as Crook is not a very heavily populated area, there is not a massive amount of small children to cater for so the range of facilities for small children approximately equals the population of infants in Crook.

There is 1 leisure centre, which the infants can use to practice swimming and to basically have fun. There are 5 parks which all have swings, slides, climbing frames, tubes etc so infants can enjoy playing on these and this will encourage them to socialise with other children. Education also plays an important part in the upbringing of children so there are 3 schools in which infants can be taught the basics of life e.

g. reading and writing etc. There is also 1 library which small children can use because they have a tendency to want to constantly learn so books can be borrowed to help them.

Finally there is 1 town hall in which pantomimes, plays and infant discos are held which gets the children socially active. In conclusion, when you actually think about it, there are quite a lot of facilities for small children aged 5-8.Juniors (8-12)Juniors are more grown up compared to infants so the above are facilities which they can enjoy using. There is 1 leisure centre in which juniors can swim and there are fun days for juniors, whom the centre holds and there are snooker tables etc which some more grown up juniors might enjoy using.

As stated before, there is 1 library in which juniors can read books or look on the Internet. By this age, juniors will be getting homework from school to do so the library is a good asset for them to use and to get use to using for when they enter comprehensive school. There are 3 schools, which only cater for up to 11 years old, which is when comprehensive school is attended. Unfortunately there isn’t a comprehensive school in Crook but in a nearby town which is 3 miles away called Willington there’s one.There are 2 video shops because at this stage in life children start to socialise and have sleepovers so videos are rented to watch. There is 1 football pitch because socialising also leads to sport so Crook caters for this.

There is also 2 tennis courts in which juniors can play tennis and socialise and have a good time. As stated earlier there are 4 parks in which children can play. These parks are not only for infants but are also available to juniors. Although many juniors wont actually play on the equipment, they use the parks as meeting places when socialising etc. Finally there is 1 town hall in which discos and parties are held to which juniors willingly attend and enjoy. As you can see there is quite a range of provision of facilities for juniors aged 8-12.

Therefore up to now I have discussed the range of provision of facilities for infants and juniors and both have been adequate in the availability of facilities from when born up to the age of 12.Teenagers (13-17)As you can see from the above there are a massive amount of facilities for teenagers. There are 3 pizza shops, 3 takeaway shops, 3 Chinese takeaways and 4 chip shops. This type of facility is prominent in teenagers because they are socialising more and are getting pocket money from parents and getting Saturday jobs, therefore they have to spend this money on something and takeaway shops is what it is spent on. There are many sport associated facilities for example there are 2 tennis courts, 1 football pitch, 1 skate park, 1 leisure centre, 1 cricket pitch and 1 Gym.These are possibly the most used facilities because teenagers are being introduced to sports in schools and colleges so they become more physically active so the skate park, tennis courts etc are used immensely. The leisure centre is not only used for swimming with teenagers, it is used for playing squash, pool or snooker, using the exercise machines and attending aerobic classes etc.

There is 1 working mans club in which teenagers can not drink alcohol but can play pool and snooker. There is 1 amusements arcade in which teenagers hang out and socialise. There are 4 hairdressers, which are used a lot by teenagers because they take pride in their appearance and always try to look good.Keeping on the lines of looking good, there are 3 clothes shops and 3 cosmetic shops in which teenagers buy deodorants etc. There are 2 cafes in which the more grown up teenagers might meet and have a cup of tea before going out for the day etc. There is a town hall, which also caters for teenagers as discos are held which teenagers willingly attend because their mates do and socialising plays an important part in teenage life. Finally, education, there isn’t a secondary school or college in Crook so to go to comprehensive school you have to travel at least 3 miles and to get to the nearest college you have to travel at least 5 miles.

Therefore apart from education, Crook caters for teenagers quite well and has many facilities which teenagers can enjoy using.Young adults (18-29)As you can see from the above list, there is a massive amount of facilities for young adults. Although Crook is a very small town, there are a massive, 10 pubs.

As you can see I have placed a star next to pubs because this is the main facility which young adults use, as having a good time and staying away from the stress of work and college etc is extremely important to them. As stated earlier there are many takeaway shops and chip shops etc which young adults use a very lot because after coming home from college or work etc, they are to tired to cook so takeaways are ordered. There are also many sport and leisure facilities which young adults probably use the most because staying fit becomes a every day part of life for young adults. There are newsagents for newspapers, sweets, magazines etc.There are hairdressers which are used quite often by young adults. There is a dentist and surgery which are also used quite often and so therefore the need to travel far is not there. As young adults are just getting cars etc, there are petrol stations and garages and car maintenance shops which are handy because then you don’t need to travel far to keep your car in top condition. There is a close taxi service which is handy because when young adults have been out for a drink they don’t have to stand and wait for a taxi for hours.

There is a job centre so the unemployed in Crook can keep a close eye on any available jobs in the area. There is a working mans club for the occasional drink with work mates or friends etc. There are many different types of shops which is good because the availability of everyday accessories is important so shops in Crook cater for just about every thing you need. Finally there is a tanning centre which young adults use quite often as staying in good shape is important to young adults.As you can see there is a massive amount of facilities in Crook for young adults and when looking at the size of Crook and its population, I think there are easily enough facilities to keep young adults occupied in life. Although there aren’t thing in Crook, which are in bigger cities eg cinemas, bowling alleys etc, there is everything young adults need to live in Crook.The middle aged (30-59)The facilities for the middle aged are just the same as the facilities for young adults but the middle aged don’t tend to party as much and get drunk as much etc.

Everything that caters for young adults, just about caters for the middle aged too. The only thing that is different between the two is the fact that a solid job, which the middle aged are after, is hard to find and Crook is possibly not the best place to find one because it is only a small town so the middle aged will probably have to travel to get to work.The elderly (60+)The above are the facilities in Crook which are available to the elderly and as you can see they are not exactly limited. There is a library which the elderly can use as it is peaceful and quiet and a place where they can rest and also learn about new things. There are 4 old peoples homes for the frail and disabled who cant look after themselves. There is a Salvation army centre which the elderly can go to and socialise and enjoy themselves. There is a bowling green, which the elderly can play bowls on and socialise while having a relaxed game of bowls.There are many hairdressers which the elderly, mostly the women, can use as we all know they enjoy treating themselves and getting pampered.

There is a town hall in which tea mornings are prominent and social gatherings are held quite often. There are betting shops which, although are used by the middle aged, are more prominently associated with elderly males as betting on horses is a hobby in most elderly men. Finally there are many cafes in which the elderly can just sit, have a cup of coffee and socialise with friends and basically just have a chat about things. In my opinion, in accordance to the population of Crook and the amount of elderly people, there are easily enough facilities to cater for them.Infants (5-8)For infants in Hamsterley there is only the school , the pond and the Village Hall for them.

The school only caters for infants, the pond is a facility used to look at wildlife and to feed the ducks etc and the village hall holds playgroups etc.Juniors (8-12)For juniors in Hamsterley there is the newsagents to buy sweets, the bus route to go to nearby towns and cities and the village hall which holds discos and parties etc.Teenagers (13-17)In Hamsterley for teenagers there is the bus station to travel to nearby towns and cities and that is all.The middle aged (30-59)Hamsterley does not cater for the middle aged at all, there is absolutely nothing for them apart from the newsagents, post office and the butchers, but there are no recreational facilities at all.The elderly (60+)For the elderly in Hamsterley, there is the newsagents, the post office, the butchers and the village hall which holds tea mornings and social gatherings.Task 3Neighbourhood WatchThe very first Neighbourhood Watch or Home Watch was founded in a place called Mollington in Cheshire (England) in 1982 and since then there have been more than 150’000 schemes set up covering in excess of 5.

5 million households in England and in Wales.Neighbourhood Watch is all about the prevention of crime in a local community and it emphasises this with its little yellow stickers as seen below:The neighbourhood Watch scheme is run by the people themselves as well as a police constable. The constable or ‘community constable’ is a full time police officer who is assigned to liase with the residents of a particular area. There is always a leader of Neighbourhood Watch and this person is the one who keeps the community constable up to date with recent goings on in the community.

Many people think that to be in Neighbourhood watch you need to be heavy handed and become a member of some vigilante group but all Neighbourhood watch is, is the residents of a community keeping an eye on their community and reporting anything upsetting or extraordinary to the community constable. Not only do they keep an eye on the community though, they also raise money between them to keep their neighbourhood respectable and enjoyable for visitors.Links with the PoliceAs stated earlier, the leader of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme reports any goings on to the community constable, therefore this is a link to the police.Police throughout the country have always been in favour of the Neighbourhood Watch schemes as unlike other schemes it allows the participants to keep a low profile and to not make themselves known therefore they aren’t putting themselves in danger what so ever as they may feel strongly about crime but the confront it head on in secrecy and they don’t go looking for fights.As stated earlier, Neighbourhood Watch schemes always have a leader who is just and ordinary member of the community, not a member of the police force, although the police definitely encourage it. The first steps to setting up a Neighbourhood Watch scheme also needs links with the police force.

The neighbourhood with concerns approaches the police force and then a community constable is assigned to help the community. This constable gives a lot of advice and encouragement to the community and helps the along. In the first few weeks of the scheme being set up, there is a massive amount of links and liasing with the police force, especially the community constable.Finally after the scheme has been set up, the constable blends into the background and is only there to co-ordinate thing when help is needed and to take reports of incidents.

Links with the Fire ServicePrimarily, the participants of Neighbourhood Watch schemes liase and have links with the police force however there are other links like the fire service for instance.As the participants of Neighbourhood Watch schemes keep an eye on empty properties and keeping the neighbourhood tidy then this is likely to have quite an impact on the fire service. The reason for this is simply because if neighbourhoods are kept tidy and clean and empty properties are kept an eye on for vandalism etc, less fire and accidents are likely to happen so therefore the fire service wont have as many ‘shouts’ to deal with.The fire service is also providing information about fire safety which Neighbourhood Watch schemes are increasing interest in, therefore they are linking with the fire service once again. Information provided by the fire service includes such points as:* Store any flammable or combustible waste carefully* Install security lighting and keep it active continuously* Install automatic sprinkler, fire alarm and security systems and carry out regular checks on them* Lock gas cylinders and any other flammable materials away* Keep building in good condition and well fenced* Make sure that there is a metal box surrounding the letter box.All of the points above are told to communities by the police but people are also informed of them by Neighbourhood Watch schemes which is yet another link between the fire service and Neighbourhood Watch.Links with the Prison ServiceNeighbourhood Watch schemes might also have links with the prison service. This link would inform the participants of neighbourhood Watch schemes of any criminals which have been arrested and jailed for their crimes so that any other crimes committed in the future couldn’t have been committed by that person as they are in prison.Other LinksNeighbourhood Watch schemes may also have links with any security guards in their community, especially if the community has industrial estates etc.