Good neighbours

Picking up shopping or medicines for neighbours can make a huge difference. One resident of a street in Boughton realised that social distancing was likely to happen sooner rather than later and set up a WhatsApp group for those who wanted to be able to ask for, and offer help.

Within a week, Jane and Ian decided that they needed to self-isolate after Jane began to feel ill and developed a cough and a friend that Ian had recently been out with tested positive for COVID-19. After asking for help on WhatsApp three different neighbours stepped in to help, offering to pick up shopping, prescriptions and even leaving some cucumber on the doorstep for Twitchy the Guinea Pig.

"I have really appreciated having such lovely neighbours these last few weeks."
Jane

Key tip

If you set up a contact group, only use it for what it was set up for. The more it is used for other things the more likely people are to remove themselves from it, meaning it will be harder for them to ask for help if they need it and one less person to hear other peoples' requests for help.