The door slams on good neighbours

 

Last updated at 21:27pm on 21st November 2007 Comments (5)

Good neighbours are becoming a thing of the past in modern Britain, research suggests.

 

An average of one in five of those questioned for a survey felt they could not rely on their neighbours in an emergency.

Eight in ten thought their parents' generation placed a greater emphasis on caring for the local community and 16 per cent did not know the names of those living next door.

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One in three feel they don't have a neighbour they can rely on (Posed by models)

 

 

The investigation into neighbourly actions revealed a declining focus on community spirit.

Fewer than one in ten Britons regularly visits a neighbour and 40 per cent say their neighbour has never called on them.

The research findings, from power firm EDF Energy, support its annual Safe, Warm

and Well campaign in partnership with WRVS, the charity which helps older people.

The initiative encourages people to help vulnerable neighbours avoid some of winter's dangers, including hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The findings reveal discrepancies across the UK.

Almost one in three Londoners, 30.3 per cent, feel they do not have a neighbour they can rely upon in an emergency.

In Northern Ireland, however, the figure is just 11.1 per cent.

The investigation also revealed worrying levels of awareness surrounding hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning, which can result from a faulty central heating boiler.

Four in ten of the 1,600 people questioned did not know how to identify an incident of carbon monoxide poisoning while 16 per cent could not recognise symptoms of hypothermia.

Dr Margaret Samuel, chief medical officer at EDF Energy, said: "Knowing how to identify the symptoms of hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning, and what to do if they arise, is half the battle in helping to reduce the effects amongst the most susceptible this winter."

Campaign ambassador Gloria Hunniford added: "We all know someone who could benefit from a helping hand in the colder months.

"It's easy to make excuses or to think that they wouldn't want us bothering them.

"But it's up to us to rally together and look out for each other this winter."

Sad but true.

 

I never met some of my neighbours untill after Hurricane Juan when everyone was out in the street stunned at all the destruction. Funny how tragedy forces you to need to talk to people.

Sad but true.

 

I never met some of my neighbours untill after Hurricane Juan when everyone was out in the street stunned at all the destruction. Funny how tragedy forces you to need to talk to people.

 

And have they now all disappeared behind their doors again??

And have they now all disappeared behind their doors again??

 

Pretty much, yeah. Being a nurse doing shiftwork doesn't help, apparently.

While I lived in London, on a sort of middle class estate (with half a mil house prices) we drove one set of neighbours away because we are musicians and they didn't like us to make ANY sort of noise really.....but to the other side we got to know them really well - despite the first year of us living there being pretty crazy.

They were a married couple in their early 60's and would actually give me their house keys to feed their expensive cats/watch their SKY HD TV while they were away.

They even trusted me more than their youngest son, who was 27 and lived 5 minutes away.

 

It was quite a surprise that it turned out like that.

While I lived in London, on a sort of middle class estate (with half a mil house prices) we drove one set of neighbours away because we are musicians and they didn't like us to make ANY sort of noise really.....but to the other side we got to know them really well - despite the first year of us living there being pretty crazy.

They were a married couple in their early 60's and would actually give me their house keys to feed their expensive cats/watch their SKY HD TV while they were away.

They even trusted me more than their youngest son, who was 27 and lived 5 minutes away.

 

It was quite a surprise that it turned out like that.

 

So what happened ultimately??

Well, we got along great with them. I send them Christmas cards still they do the same...

 

But the other ones who left their home had such a hatered for young people I think.

 

I really like getting along with neighbours - it comes in very useful. Getting support from things like planning permission to complaints about other neighbours (who dump things in your garden, for example).

Well, we got along great with them. I send them Christmas cards still they do the same...

 

But the other ones who left their home had such a hatered for young people I think.

 

I really like getting along with neighbours - it comes in very useful. Getting support from things like planning permission to complaints about other neighbours (who dump things in your garden, for example).

 

So why did you move away??

Erm, I hated London in the end.

 

Alright to visit I guess - but I was born in a place where you can breathe clean air....amongst other things.

 

So it wasn't a neighbours problem.

Erm, I hated London in the end.

 

Alright to visit I guess - but I was born in a place where you can breathe clean air....amongst other things.

 

So it wasn't a neighbours problem.

 

So where are you now?

Under a molten sky - can't you read my profile?

 

haha, no seriously.

 

I'm much further north now, in North County Durham.

Under a molten sky - can't you read my profile?

 

haha, no seriously.

 

I'm much further north now, in North County Durham.

 

Is that where you hail from, too?

What was the reason for moving to London in the first place?

I'm from up here, yes.

 

Well, I moved there for uni back in 2002 for nearly 5 years.

 

(well, 4 and a half actually)

I'm from up here, yes.

 

Well, I moved there for uni back in 2002 for nearly 5 years.

 

(well, 4 and a half actually)

 

Aha! What part of London were you in?

I'm from Romford.

Oh right, well I was on the other side - lived in Ealing.

It's good to have good neighbours as they will watch your house if you go out/take parcels in from parcel firms and vice-versa.