THE manager of the Community Meals Service in Monmouthshire has come up with an idea to keep their customers safe as well as fed.

Pauline Batty had the brainwave of joining forces with Gwent Police, crime prevention and the Bobby Van scheme to make people feel safer in their own home.

To mark this year's Meals on Wheels Week, with a theme of Care in the Home the Community Meals Service have entered into a partnership with Gwent Police, Trading Standards, The Bobby Van Trust and the Crime Prevention Unit.

Cllr Brian Hood, Cabinet Member for Social Services, said: "Community Meals staff are out and about so much that they are the eyes and ears in the community.

"The partnership means that techniques used to prevent and respond to crime and to address safety concerns can be shared for everyone's benefit."

The Crime Prevention Unit offer practical solutions to the concerns of vulnerable people who receive meals, and can fit a camera to keep track of who enters and leaves the premises.

Also, for people who keep money on their premises, crime prevention officers can advise and help with the purchase of a safe at a reduced cost.

Gwent's Bobby Van Scheme is operated by Gwent Police and makes visits to the homes of people who have been burgled to refit locks and to provide advice to prevent repeat incidents.

Each van delivering meals will be issued with an incident logbook to use if they notice anything unusual or have anything reported to them by a pensioner.

If the Bobby Van Trust is advised of a particularly vulnerable person, door chains, mirrors, door and window locks, dummy CCTV cameras and alarms can be fitted.

The Community Police Service will be in regular contact with the Community Meals van in each area, so that they can tackle any problems raised by users.

Over the next couple of weeks the CPO for each area will spend the day with Com- munity Meals staff to introduce themselves to the users.

The Trading Standards unit will keep Community Meals informed about the latest scam so people can be aware of what's going on in the area whether it's distraction burglary, bogus callers, or people offering to carry out bogus jobs.