Connecting neighbours scheme adds to campaign

Connecting  neighbours  scheme adds to campaign

The Channel Islands Co-operative Society has created a ‘calling card’ that can be filled out and posted through letterboxes as a way of introducing neighbours and offering help if required. Such help can be anything from taking in parcels or doing some shopping to providing company, cooking a meal or giving someone a lift.

Such simple introductions can also go a long way towards reducing loneliness and social isolation.

The ‘Meet Your Neighbour’ cards are available to pick up for free from Co-op stores, including GP surgeries, pharmacies, Travel Maker as well as De Gruchy’s Funeral Care, from today, and the JEP’s offices at Five Oaks, at parish halls and from the public counters of Andium Homes and Jersey Post, who are partnering with the initiative.

The form, which also includes various helpline details for those in need, is also printed in today’s JEP on page 11.

Jersey Together, launched earlier this month, aims to encourage Islanders to help those who are in need, for whatever reason, this Christmas. It has been backed by the Chief Minister, Citizens Advice, the Dean, Age Concern, mental-health campaigner Andy Le Seelleur and many others passionate about promoting a caring community.

And the principles it is based on will continue to be a focus for this newspaper long after Christmas. The Co-op calling cards will also continue to be available in the new year, and could even be launched in Guernsey in 2019.

Co-op chief executive Colin Mcleod said: ‘Issues like loneliness, homelessness, poverty and unemployment can impact any one of us at any given time. These issues have been highlighted by the Jersey Evening Post through numerous, heart-rending stories over previous weeks, which got me thinking. We have a large presence within the Channel Islands, where we represent a significant proportion of the community, so how could we help our members, customers and their families belong more to the communities they live in? How could we help break the barriers of silence between neighbours and instead provide a way to get to know those who live around us? Perhaps those who are more vulnerable than ourselves?

‘We are proud to introduce our “Meet Your Neighbour” campaign. With the use of a simple form, it provides a way for our members, customers and colleagues to get to know their neighbours, provide assistance if needed and help overcome the feelings of loneliness and isolation that many Islanders can feel at this time of year.’

David McGrath, head of marketing at Jersey Post, said: ‘We’re delighted to have the opportunity to support this very important community initiative. Most of us will experience loneliness at some point in our lives and working together to break this cycle will make a real difference.

‘Earlier this year we introduced our Call & Check service to the whole Island, which provides much-needed support to Islanders who live alone or find themselves socially isolated. Supporting community life is an intrinsic part of Jersey Post and we hope this new initiative will help to bring our community even closer together.’

JEP editor Andy Sibcy said: ‘The Jersey Together campaign has really struck a chord with the community, and many have asked what they can do to help. The simple act of making contact with your neighbours, which is made even easier by this form from the Co-op, can go a long way to helping to reduce loneliness and social isolation and can make a real difference to people’s lives.’

He added: ‘Jersey is a wonderful, caring community but there are still those out there struggling, for all sorts of reasons. The JEP will continue to promote initiatives that aim to reach out to those people, such as the Co-op calling cards, and encourage debate around the issues affecting those in need in our community long into the future.’

For more information visit channelislands.coop/Belonging.

– Advertisement –
– Advertisement –