Get to know your neighbour
A NEW campaign, Meet Your Neighbour, is launched today.
Initiated by the Channel Islands Co-operative Society Limited, and backed by the Guernsey Press and Guernsey Post, Meet Your Neighbour seeks to break down the barriers of silence, help overcome the sense of loneliness and isolation that many islanders feel and offer assistance to neighbours who may be more vulnerable than ourselves.
‘It was rolled out in Jersey before Christmas as part of the Jersey Evening Post’s Jersey Together campaign,’ explained Tanya Dorrity, Channel Islands Cooperative Society’s community officer.
‘The need for such an initiative was highlighted by a young man who, sadly, took his own life after having financial difficulties, feeling isolated and having no family to turn to. He was found alone in his flat.
‘We have a large presence in the Channel Islands, and we care deeply about our island community.
‘We want to help our members, customers, and their families feel a sense of belonging in their communities.’
The idea of Meet Your Neighbour is simple: pick up a form, fill out your details and post it to your neighbours to let them know that you can help them. They can then return the other half of the form to you with details of how to help.
‘Our form is similar to Co-operative Streets, an initiative by the Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society’s campaign to make us all better neighbours.
‘On it you can ask a neighbour if you can go shopping for them, walk their dog, give them a lift somewhere or, simply, if they would like some company. We’ve redesigned the form as part of an A5 leaflet.’
The leaflet will be available in Co-operative stores across the island and Guernsey Post will also be delivering one to each home.
‘We’ll be sending them out to every address in Guernsey, that’s 26,000 addresses, from today onwards throughout week,’ said Guernsey Post’s chief executive officer, Boley Smillie.
He said that he’d first heard about the initiative when the Channel Islands Co-operative launched Meet Your Neighbour in Jersey.
‘Our posties are constantly in touch with the local community and talking to people, they’re ever-present.
‘We’re very proud to be a part of this community project.’
Guernsey Press editor Shaun Green said that the campaign was a brilliant idea which the newspaper was proud to support.
‘Guernsey is a special place with a great sense of community but there are always people who could do with a little extra help.
‘Showing that we care and are willing to do something about it may be all that is needed to get a vulnerable person over a tough patch in their lives.’
Mrs Dorrity added: ‘In Jersey we’ve been working with Andium Homes – which provides affordable homes – and parish halls.
‘Over here, as well as the Guernsey Press and Guernsey Post, we’ve been working with Guernsey Housing Association and Health Connections.
‘Meet Your Neighbour has been a great success in Jersey and we would love to know if the initiative has helped people here in Guernsey.
‘Please go to www.channelislands.coop/neighbour with your feedback.’
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