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Lockdown was mostly an awful time for lots of different reasons. But some good did come out of it. There was a lot of community spirit around. And actually, research by security company Ring shows that (out of 2,000 adults in Britain) a quarter of the nation became friendlier with their neighbours during lockdown, and more than a third of Brits feel that their neighbourly spirit has improved since restrictions lifted.
NeighbourGood Café (brought to us by Ring) is opening its doors from Thursday June 30 until Saturday July 2. Its aim is to encourage people to connect with the local community, just like a lot of us did in those dark lockdown times that felt like they’d never end. It also aims to get people to try some locally sourced drinks, cakes and pastries.
So, how does it work? Well, visitors to the café will have the opportunity to write down a suggested good deed and pin it to a dedicated ‘pledge board’ under four categories: good skills (eg helping to fix a fence or replant a community garden); good minutes (eg offering to dog-sit for a neighbour); good energy (eg introducing yourself to a new neighbour); and good business (eg pledging to support a local business or charity).
But if you’re not feeling peckish and you’d rather just check out the café, that’s fine too. As well as enjoying the local treats, patrons can play board games in the space, read a book and generally feel inspired by stories of local community heroes. It’s never been easier to do your bit…
NeighbourGood Café, 12 Sidworth St, London E8 3SD. Jun 30-Jul 2.
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