Christmas is a time when friends and family join together, but is there a person in your street who cannot share in such joy this winter?
Do you live near to an elderly person who will be alone over the holiday or who might need help with some simple errands?
For our Christmas appeal this year, the Recorder isn’t calling for monetary donations or for you to send in toys – we are simply asking you to be a Good Neighbour to those in need.
The winter months can be a difficult period for the elderly, especially those who are living alone.
NHS figures show people over 65 are more likely to suffer from cold-related illnesses. Last winter, cold-related deaths rose by almost a third to 31,000 – more than 25,000 of which were people over 75.
So we are asking you to check on your elderly neighbours to make sure they are warm enough and have everything they need.
For others, it might be that they just need help with an everyday task or want somebody to have a cup of tea with or a good old chat.
Whatever it is you can help with, be a Good Neighbour and give a knock on their door.
Doing so could brighten up your winter, as well as theirs.
We’ll be running the appeal over the next month, and we’re also looking for readers to send in their stories of goodwill – which we will feature on our pages.
We’d love to hear about how you’ve brightened up the day of someone on your street or the close ties between neighbours which come to the fore at Christmas.
Send your stories, along with photographs and contact details, to sam.gelder@archant.co.uk.
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