Milestone installation for Wiltshire charity
The Bobby Van Trust helps the county's most vulnerable people stay safe from crime
A Wiltshire charity supporting some of the county's most vulnerable people has installed its 50th doorbell camera.
The Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust has been fitting the devices at homes of over 60s and adults with a registered disability, either for free or at a discounted price.
It's part of the charity's home security work, which includes upgrading locks for doors and windows, as well as providing advice about security.
The charity's three operators are all former police officers.
The doorbell cameras allow householders to see and communicate with people at their door, through a smartphone or a tablet, regardless of where they are. The devices send alerts when someone is approaching the door, with many including motion detection and night vision technology, while also being able to store video evidence remotely.
The can also act as a strong deterrent to criminals and rogue traders in the area.
Bobby Van Operator Vincent Logue said: “It has been a successful campaign so far and I’m getting four or five requests for doorbell cameras a week from all over the county and in Swindon. Most people hear about them through word of mouth or on Facebook.
“The vast majority we’ve fitted are for people who are over 60 and we've had a few 90-year-olds. We don’t just install it, we show them how to operate them and by the time we've left, they say ‘oh, it's easy’.
“You can see they are pleased when we’ve fitted them because they don't have to open the door to people. A lot of people are really concerned when they open the door, it's really nerve-wracking when they are in the house by themselves."
Vincent added: "I think of it like a new version of a door chain, you can answer the door safely because you don't even have to unlock it,” he said.
“You can also answer from wherever you are – whether that's in Bath or in the bath – and it's much easier to say no, or to ask someone to leave, when you're not face to face. It's really difficult for people to say no when you've unlocked the door.
“The other advantage for the very vulnerable is that family members can monitor it as well. It allows the same monitoring of the activity of the door and of the person but it's still allowing them to have that independent living.”
People can apply for a doorbell camera to be fitted to an eligible person's home by contacting [email protected] or calling 01225256867.