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Power to the people

It’s never posed in such an explicit way, but the influence of power is pivotal. In our community we are regularly asking ‘what as neighbours can we do for ourselves?’, ‘what can we do with others?’ (structured bodies such as local council, schools, businesses, voluntary sector support), and ‘what do we need others to do for us?’ During this pandemic there is much that will increasingly need doing ‘to’ or ‘for’ us (for example, increasing pressure on the health service), but there will be increasing ways we will be asking what can we do ‘with’ our neighbours and what can be led ‘by’ neighbours, community organised and delivered with gentle humble back-up from those offering to support. 

What we are already witnessing is many ways in which our neighbours are self-organising, looking out for each other, and being good neighbours.  

Getting creative & being open to new offerings 

We have been blown away by how the many gifts, skills and talents of our neighbours have been offered in creative and exciting ways. We are seeing teachers and children’s workers creating online resources for their neighbours (not just their own children), sharing education resources they recommend, and offering their time to remotely support adults now home schooling. A mindfulness share group is moving to a Facebook Group offering meditations and tips for relaxation. We have people offering to deliver seeds, tools, and resources required to start growing their own food, and ideas for food that grows in less than 2 months. We have people offering their time and cars to drive to pick up prescriptions and go shopping for anyone in our neighbourhood and people checking in on neighbours to see if there is anything they need. Some of these are a re-imagining of things already present (people who already are involved in the community or support their neighbours), and some are new ways people are sharing themselves. 

As people self-isolated having access to food became a vital concern. Two neighbourhood food distribution networks emerged very quickly as local organisations began to re-imagine how resources could be re-deployed (building spaces, staff time, food networks). This delivery of food led to regular encounters, conversations, a sharing of games, puzzles, books, seeds, flowers, generous donations of cash or offers of help in return. This is paying attention to our need to be more than just fed, to a need for companionship, friendship, shared loves, joys and interests. It wasn’t drop the parcel and run, it was an opportunity to be a good neighbour. 

One of the most thoughtful and generous responses has been from local businesses. Some local shops started to ration key items way before the major supermarkets. They are offering to call customers to see how they are, offering free home deliveries for those self-isolating, and trying to get hold of items people are struggling to find (nappies, baby formula). A local take-away is offering a free meal to over 65’s. Apart from one outrageous example of overcharging (which made regional news outlets and provoked over 3000 Facebook shares within hours) they are all keeping prices to usual levels. This crisis has driven people to look a little closer for their supplies and encouraged local business owners to be creative and resourceful. This might spark a revolution in our local economy and changes to our shopping habits. That’s my hope, but I know people at the very least will not forget what their very local businesses did. 

I feel the creativity, resourcefulness, and imagination of our neighbours and neighbourhood will be one of the most significant legacies (if that’s the right term with a pandemic!) of this turbulent time. It is wonderful what emerges when the power is truly in the hands of the people. 

Who knows how long this pandemic will last and how long the restrictions on physical interaction will be in place. There is talk of up to 12 months, and even longer for a possible vaccine. But the impact on our healthcare system, our structures of society, our mental health and wellbeing, and the marketplace as we know it will be felt for substantially longer. The question we can’t help but ponder even at this very early stage is what will be the long-term impact of this ‘rising up’ of neighbourhoods, and how do we sustain the efforts that this pandemic is precipitating?