POLICE Community Support Officer Mandi Coles has pounded the Stratton beat for 10 years, and become one of the most popular members of the community.

In October 2003, after joining the force in September, Mandi started working around Stratton visiting members of the community to talk about crime prevention, offering advice, and supporting victims of crime.

“I love it, it’s all good. You get to see all different people and it’s quite nice really because I get to know everyone,” she said.

“I just enjoy my job really. And I feel a part of Stratton.

“It’s not a chore coming to work because I feel a part of Stratton and a part of the community “I do it because I want to do it, not because I’m asked to do it.

“I’m just blessed that I have such a lovely area that I work for and they are all so lovely.

“Quite early on I helped to get some fencing put in for pensioners in Midwinter Gardens, which helped them to regain some privacy and helped them to make sure they felt secure and safe.”

Mandi has been involved with numerous youth groups in the community, including the Air Cadets, Scouts and visiting local schools.

She said: “When I first started in Stratton, anti-social behaviour was quite a problem, but we managed to get involved with the young people and change behaviours.

“I just visit and get to know the young people.

“If you knock down the barriers and get to know them then you can help them.”

For two years, Mandi has organised the Junior Good Citizen Scheme, the multi-agency partnership scheme, which aims to help children avoid putting themselves at risk of accident or injury.

This year the event, which took place last month, attracted an amazing 13,000 primary school children from 36 schools around Swindon to take part in the two-week scheme.

Mandi said: “The good thing is with the role I have is that it is in partnership, with the borough council , with Wiltshire Fire and Rescue.

“It’s being in the community really, and you care about the children and the people in the community.

“You want to look after them all and make the most of it.”

Before becoming a PCSO, Mandi worked in finance for 14 years.

She said: “I always thought I’d like to be a police officer.

“I always wanted to do something that had a bit of meaning to it, not that what they do isn’t important but I just wanted to make a difference, and I honestly think that we do, as PCSOs.”