MOST people in charge of co-ordinating an organisation with more than 17,000 members would expect a fairly decent pay cheque at the end of the month. But not Maria Georgiou.

For more than 17 years, the Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator has given her time free of charge to help build Castle Point’s Neighbourhood Watch scheme into one of the most successful in the country.

As Neighbourhood Watch area manager for Castle Point, she puts in an average of between 30 and 40 hours a week at Benfleet police station.

Her role involves helping to set up and launch new groups, producing a quarterly newsletter that goes to 17,000 homes, and dealing with any queries, issues or problems any of the groups have.

Now the dedicated community servant has had her massive contribution to crime prevention recognised with the highest honour after being made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

She said: “It is a lot of work, but it’s very satisfying. I certainly don’t do it for the recognition.

“The first I knew of the MBE was when the letter arrived. I’m thrilled, but the success of the Neighbourhood Watch is the result of great team work.”

Maria originally became involved with neighbourhood watch shortly after moving to Canvey from London in 1992. There had been a number of shed break-ins locally and she volunteered to become a street co-ordinator.

She soon took on the role of area manager, eventually giving up a full-time job in an office to become the driving force behind the scheme’s expansion during the past 17 years.

In that time, the number of roads covered by neighbourhood watch has risen from 100 to 500.

But Maria, who is in her sixties and lives near to Link Road, on Canvey, insists she will not rest until all of the borough’s streets – about 1,000 roads in total – are covered by Neighbourhood Watch.

She said: “My dream is to have every road in Castle Point signed up before I retire.”

Maria is still waiting for her invite to Buckingham Palace where she will formally be made a Member of the Order of the British Empire, or MBE. But she is quick to point out she could not have achieved so much without the help and support of Essex Police and members of the Castle Point Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership.

She said: “The neighbourhood policing teams and the police community support officers have been instrumental in leafleting non-Neighbourhood Watch roads and speaking to people for me to get more people involved.” But despite Maria’s modesty Castle Point district commander, Chief Insp Paul Eveleigh, was full of praise for her contribution.

He said: “The success of Neighbourhood Watch in Castle Point is down to the dedication and enthusiasm shown by Maria over many years.

“Even when holding down a full time job she spent many hours during evenings and weekends driving the scheme forward, recruiting new members, organising launch events and distributing crime prevention materials.

“Her efforts have contributed to driving down crime in the borough and her MBE is an honour richly deserved.”

Anyone interested in joining Neighbourhood Watch can call Maria on 01268 798127 or e-mail: maria.georgiou@essex.pnn.police.uk