Craven District Council : ‘Our Neighbours’ Campaign in Craven

Paul Shevlin, Chief Executive of Craven District Council, said: “I fully support this initiative. District Councils play a vital role in enhancing the health and wellbeing of our residents, and at a time when we are very aware of the impact of loneliness and isolation on physical and mental health it is important to raise awareness of the simple things we can all do to help people feel connected within their community.”

Yorkshire Housing tenants living on Greatwood and Horseclose estates in Skipton were involved in the first stages of developing the campaign materials, and have been strong advocates of the Our Neighbours campaign.

Karen McIntyre, Greatwood Community Centre manager, said the campaign would help address increased isolation and loneliness. “We don’t have any shops or pubs on the estate anymore, so we have to find new ways to bring people together and look out for each other,” she said.

Yorkshire Housing’s neighbourhood team has also been working with Karen and local residents to develop community projects such as the award winning SCOFF Café, Sunday Social and a new Women’s Group, all of which help to bring people together.

Michael Hewson, Yorkshire Housing Neighbourhood Services Manager in Craven, said: “In terms of community development, I believe in a bottom-up approach, giving people the confidence to set their own agenda. With a top-down approach, what you find is the activity stops once the organisation withdraws. Here, we’re encouraging communities to take responsibility on their own terms.”

For more information and resources, and to order a helpful neighbour pack with top tips on looking out for your neighbours, go to https://ourneighbours.org.uk/