THE ISLAND'S first community street wardens are taking to the streets in Ryde this week.

Harry Dea and Gill Mulcahy will be on hand to offer friendly advice to visitors and locals alike on a wide range of issues in the town.

The wardens have been appointed thanks to regeneration money from the government as well as work by Ryde's Community Forum.

Harry and Gill, both of whom are from Ryde, recently completed their training. They will be based at Ryde's Help Centre and have called on local businesses, clubs and schools to explain their roles and to establish links with the community.

Working with council departments, the police, local groups and agencies, they will try to achieve a safer and cleaner environment in the town.

They will deal with issues such as litter, graffiti, vandalism, tackling fear of crime and promoting community spirit and well-being.

Gill said: "We are here to help the public and provide a daily link for them with a whole host of organisations. It is not the case that we will be an extension of the police, although we will have a mutually supportive role. The task we have is, in fact, quite diverse."

There is a perceived fear of crime in Ryde, particularly among the elderly, and the new wardens want to help deal with this and reassure the vulnerable.

Harry said: "We want to be as approachable as possible, playing a valuable role in the Ryde community. We want to promote ideas and help groups in Ryde, and act as a conduit for passing on information as well as looking out for antisocial behaviour."

The pair will wear distinctive maroon and blue uniforms and special badges and will be equipped with their own van to reach outlying areas including Appley, Elmfield, Binstead and Smallbrook crossroads.

They will have radios and mobile phones to call up other services when needed, and will also play their part in the Ryde pubwatch and shopwatch schemes.

Gill said: "To reflect the fact that community street wardens were originally conceived to help deal with teenage issues, we will also be building strong links with schools and the local youth club."

The Ryde wardens are part of the country-wide Neighbourhood Wardens Programme which currently has 85 UK schemes.