Reconnect with neighbours

Residents went out of their way to look out for their friends, family and neighbours while we were all in lockdown. Sparing five minutes of your time and being considerate at home could make the world of difference to your neighbours.

• Say hello- If you haven’t seen your neighbours in a while, or you know that they live alone, please find a way to say hello. Just talking can make a huge difference to how you and others feel and you might be able to easily help them with something that they’ve been struggling with. Even knowing someone cares can mean a lot. Make sure you follow all social distancing guidelines.
• Offer help if you can– Some of us may be feeling anxious about the situation, some people may need support with simple tasks, like shopping or collecting medicines. Others might want help to get online to order something to make their life easier. Make sure you follow all COVID-19 guidelines when offering help.
• Be mindful of your actions- Please be considerate and ensure your actions do not disturb your neighbours. The volume of music, the times that you are doing any DIY and spending time in the garden or on balconies can disrupt others around you. Avoid bonfires - Coronavirus is known to cause serious respiratory problems, which could be made much worse with exposure to smoke from bonfires.
• Be a little more tolerant- With more of us staying at home, there will be more noise from children playing in the garden, or neighbours using this time to do some DIY. Try to be more tolerant of them. 
• Clean up after yourself - If you’ve been in a communal area, or taken your daily walk, please take any litter home with you.
• Don’t dump bulky waste - Please be considerate to your neighbours and don’t leave dumped items for others to clear up. Dumped items cause a health and safety risk for you and your neighbours, especially at this time.
• Share information– Not everyone is online and not everyone follows the Council’s updates. We’re working with partners to get important messages to them in other ways but please help us by sharing our updates about the changing COVID-19 situation with people you know who may not have seen them. WhatsApp groups, emails, re-sharing on social media or telling a neighbour who isn’t online are all great ways to help get information to everyone in our community. 

Make sure you follow all social distancing guidelines when talking to others face to face. 

If you think someone is struggling with their mental health, offer your time to listen.

Find more advice about how to support them at www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/helping-others/