It’s Neighbour Day – you don’t have to be best friends

An opportunity to ‘check on your neighbour’, Neighbour Day began in recognition of the impact loneliness, and lack of social connection has broadly on an individual, as well as the community. Neighbour Day has grown into an ongoing, year-round connection campaign that marks its 20th anniversary in 2022.

Tweed Shire Council is encouraging everyone in the Tweed to check in with their neighbours to see if they are okay.

Across the Tweed, and the entire Northern Rivers, there have been countless stories of neighbours being there for each other during and after the flood.

Lasting bonds that help rebuild communities

Mayor of Tweed Chris Cherry said now was a perfect time for neighbours to again come together, check in and celebrate the value of their strengthening friendships. ‘Neighbours who may have been strangers prior to the flood are now friends, with lasting bonds that help rebuild communities.

‘While there is still much to do and neighbourhoods, suburbs, villages and townships are facing the huge task to rebuild, relationship-building between neighbours has well and truly started,’ said Cr Cherry.

‘I ask our neighbours to once again come together, check in with each other, and thank them for their help, understanding or friendship.’

Reach out to our neighbours

‘Now more than ever is a good time to reach out to our neighbours, to offer them to tell their story of the floods, to gently see if they need some help, and perhaps to caringly direct them to existing support services.’

Cr Cherry says we can create a web of caring support for each other, each in our own way, each with our own skills. ‘Some of us can listen, others bake, mow a lawn, help move furniture, clean a house, sing a song. We can simply see our neighbours, and be present for them, in our own way.’

Neighbours don’t have to be best friends, but can we be better neighbours? If this message resonates with you, check on your neighbours this weekend… and beyond.