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Knowing your neighbours is good for you, so go and say hello

Londoners will know what I mean: it feels like months since I’ve spent quality time at home. Long working days. Summer parties. Wedding weekends. And, recently, when I have been in, Love Island — yes, I admit it — has had priority.

Us young, ambitious folk who come to this city stuff our time with professional and social engagements. Hooked on hyperactivity, we schedule plans in our diaries months ahead, fearful of eventless days.

But downtime at home is important for rest and reflection. And, by avoiding it, we are neglecting a real gem: our neighbours.

Recent research from Bright Blue has found that the 10 local authorities predicted to have the lowest levels of neighbourhood trust in England are all in London.

Haringey has the lowest levels, with only 12.6 per cent of residents trusting most of their neighbours. But other boroughs that score poorly include Hackney, Islington, Greenwich, Westminster and Southwark. Fewer than one in five people are predicted to trust most of their neighbours in these areas.

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Neighbours uniting to improve their community makes London great

If you want lots of neighbourliness, you’ll have to move out of the capital, I’m afraid, and head to the commuter counties — especially Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Oxfordshire.

Go to live in, or near to, Saffron Walden in Essex if you want to be in the area with the highest levels of neighbourhood trust. Here, 82.4 per cent of locals are predicted to trust most of their neighbours.

Forever rushing in and out of the house, Londoners are clearly missing out on chatting and socialising with —even meeting — neighbours.

It’s time to turn things around — for yourself, and for London’s reputation. This summer, give yourself a half-year resolution to find time to strike a conversation with your neighbours. They can be incredibly helpful — taking parcels for you, lending you stuff — but, much more importantly, they can be a source of strong friendship.

In the admirable quest to be charitable, we often look to the extremes, including the other side of the world. But sometimes there are people on our doorstep who need help and company.

Actually, there’s quite a lot of academic evidence of the benefits of knowing and trusting your neighbours.

People who live in areas with higher levels of neighbourhood trust are more likely to have higher educational attainment and self-reported health, happiness and life satisfaction levels. The areas also tend to have lower violent and overall crime rates, and greater instances of volunteering.

Sometimes, what we’re looking for is right next to or in front of us — on our corridor or street. Go on, swallow your pride and knock on their door.

  • Ryan Shorthouse is the founder and director of Bright Blue

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