There’s a real community spirit story to share this week, as a brand-new Neighbourhood Watch scheme covering the Aberaman and Cwmaman areas has officially been registered and is now live.
The scheme, known as OCP Aberaman & Cwmaman Ward, was added to the national Neighbourhood Watch database on 27 June 2026 (scheme number 000186910) and can already be found on the national ourwatch.org.uk website. It covers the Aberaman and Cwmaman areas, with Abercwmboi not included as it doesn’t have any Trivallis properties.
Local resident Mike Rch has been the driving force behind getting the scheme off the ground, with support from ward councillors Sheryl Evans and Tina Williams. Together, they’ve identified Dan y Rhiw, Brynmair Close, Ger yr Afon and Lower Street as priority streets, where extra attention will be paid to keeping residents safe and secure.
It’s not the first step in this direction, either — Maes y Deri has quietly been part of the scheme for the past 18 months, and this expansion builds on that early success to bring the benefits to a much wider area.
Making it all possible is a strong partnership between South Wales Police, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, housing association Trivallis, and Keep Wales Tidy South East. Trivallis, formerly known as RCT Homes, manages a substantial amount of social housing across Aberaman, Abernant and Cwmaman, and has a dedicated Community Housing Officer covering the wider Aberaman, Abernant, Cwmaman and Trecynon patch.
Councillor Tina Williams was keen to highlight where the credit truly lies:
“These Neighbourhood Watch groups have been established by Trivallis in partnership with local volunteers. The role of the elected members has simply been to support an initiative that’s being led by the community. Neighbourhood Watch isn’t determined by electoral ward boundaries; its success relies on members of the community coming together and volunteering their time. Should constituents wish to establish a Neighbourhood Watch group in their area, they can find information on how to get started via the Neighbourhood Watch Network. We welcome any community-led initiative that brings people together and are always happy to support those willing to get involved.”
Councillor Sheryl Evans echoed those sentiments, saying she had nothing further to add to Cllr Williams’ comments.
Meanwhile, Councillor Julie Cook, whose ward takes in Abercwmboi, was keen to reassure residents there that they haven’t been forgotten:
“While Neighbourhood Watch is available across all areas of RCT, this is a joint initiative where Trivallis is targeting the areas where they have the most housing. Abercwmboi doesn’t have Trivallis properties like other parts of the Aberaman ward. However, there are other community safety initiatives in the area, where RCT Community Wardens and local PCSOs attend several groups to engage with residents. Should there be a demand for a Neighbourhood Watch in Abercwmboi, I’m sure the police and community safety team would be happy to assist and advise.”
At its heart, this scheme is about looking out for one another — especially the elderly, the vulnerable, and children — and organisers hope to bring even more streets into the fold as time goes on.
For anyone unfamiliar with how it works, Neighbourhood Watch is simple: neighbours keeping an eye out for each other, reporting anything suspicious to South Wales Police, and sharing information about local concerns. Research from the College of Policing shows that when schemes like this work closely with police and housing providers, they really can help reduce crime and ease people’s worries about it.
If you live in Aberaman or Cwmaman and fancy getting involved, it’s easy to join — just head to ourwatch.org.uk, search by your postcode, and you’ll find the OCP Aberaman & Cwmaman Ward scheme waiting for you. It’s completely free to join.
Image from the Oakland Community Project FB account
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