Help to keep your neighbourhood safe

It's simple. Knowing your neighbours makes your neighbourhood safer. You don't have to be best buddies, but research has shown that being good neighbours reduces crime and makes people happier. Here are a few suggestions to get started.

February 5, 2024
  • If you don't already know your neighbours, just put a note in their letterboxes giving your details and offering to help any time they need it.

  • Organise a street get-together at a local park or on a front lawn. Good things happen when neighbours get together, and community gatherings are one of the most effective tools in creating a safer neighbourhood.

  • Start a local Facebook or WhatsApp group. This is a great way to discuss any issues, share suspicious behaviour in the area, and share safety tips.

  • Keeping a neighbourhood clean keeps it safe. Neighbourhood-wide clean up groups are great ways to tidy up the community and bring people together.

  • Walk around your local neighbourhood rather than driving and say hello to anyone you meet.

  • Hang out in your front garden - you'll meet lots of people as they are walking by.

Look out for each other's properties and belongings:

  • If you see that your neighbour's rubbish bins have been left out, move them to a less conspicuous place so it looks like they are at home.

  • If you see a neighbour's letterbox is overflowing and you know they are away from home, collect their mail and keep it for them until they get back.

  • Research has shown that a well-tended front garden deters crime. Make sure that there are no large trees or bushes that could hide a break in, and if a neighbour's garden is looking a bit overgrown, offer to give them a hand tidying it up.

  • Offer to keep an eye on a neighbour's house if they are going away and ask them to do the same for you.

  • Delivery services often leave packages outside the front door, so if you see this at a neighbour's place and know that they are out or away, collect the package and leave them a note to say you have it.

If you get to know your neighbours, when they work, whether they are elderly or have small children, you will become a much closer community and be able to look out for each other; and as a bonus, being friendly to neighbours can boost feelings of happiness, belonging, and generosity.

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