, "22":"NCW In this feature l consumer protection l rogue traders l new theme Consumer Affairs Minister Jo Swinson (left) and Sally Brown, chief executive of the Institute of Professional Willwriters (right) present a certificate for the winning video to Karen Cripps on behalf of competition winner, Kevin Turner This year, National Consumer Week celebrated those in our community who look out for the vulnerable. Joe Blamey chronicles the schemes launch e dOOR S IM R O RST e P dO C Published Joe Blamey is an assistant 25 November, 2014 Kevin Turners winning entry in the video competition To share this page, click on in the toolbar communications officerat TSI. Images: Aaron Coe TS TODAY Credits Statistics from the London Borough of Bromley showed that only 16 per cent of calls to their emergency line to report rogue traders came from the actual victim TeP CRIM e N ational Consumer Week 2014 (NCW) was proudly launched by TSI and its partners on 3 November. The sold-out event took place at London Consumer Empowerment Partnerships workshop in the capitals City Hall and promoted the theme Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders. Consumer Affairs Minister Jo Swinson, TSI chief executive Leon Livermore, and Bromley Trading Standards manager Rob Vale from the London Trading Standards Authorities (Lotsa) doorstep-crime forum spoke about theimportance of neighbours looking outfor the more vulnerable residents in our communities. Vale provided real-life examples of how good neighbours can stop rogue traders and the value of NCW which is in its 25th year and enjoying record-breaking involvement from local authorities adding he wished it could be National Consumer Month instead. Vale told the audience that statistics from his local authority showed that only 16 per cent of calls to their emergency line to report rogue traders came from the actual victim. On many other occasions, the call was made by a relative or a neighbour. This, he believes, is why NCW 2014s theme is so important, and popular with local authorities. Livermore spoke about the importance of tackling doorstep crime, and TSIs reasoning behind NCWs theme. Figures released by the National Trading Standards Board show that an estimated 169,000 cases of doorstep crime take place in England and Wales each year. Meanwhile, it was found that 46 per cent of British adults thought their neighbourhood didnt sufficiently look out for vulnerable residents. Trading standards officers and police forces do an excellent job stamping out doorstep crime, said Livermore. However, we need citizens to help prevent doorstep crime from taking place in the first instance to stop far-reaching detriment from taking hold of an individuals life, and to prove to rogue traders that Britains communities are out of bounds to their unscrupulous activities. The winner of the NCW video competition Kevin Turner, from Reading was announced by Swinson during the launch. The competition was sponsored by the Institute of ProfessionalWillwriters and the Institute of Scottish Professional Willwriters, and Turner received 1,000 in prize money and a certificate. Swinson said: A video is a fantastic way of hammering home a very important message, and encouraging neighbours to get involved in the fight against these predators. Cold callers offering unnecessary work and charging astronomical rates are not just criminals, but are also damaging the security and confidence of the elderly and at-risk. I would like to congratulate Kevin Turner on a well-deserved award. View the winning video on the right, or go to Youtube to see a selection of the best entries. RS Good Neighbours Stop Rogue Traders O CRIMe