‘Looking out for our neighbours’ is our campaign to reduce loneliness and social isolation
According to research from Age UK, over one million older people say they go more than a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. But small acts of kindness can create a big difference. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of people got involved in the ‘Looking out for our neighbours’ campaign by making a positive difference to their neighbours lives through acts of kindness.
Phase 3 'Looking out for our neighbours' online reality series 
Building upon the success of the previous work, the winter 2020 campaign provided more opportunities than ever for local people to get involved across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
The 'Our neighbours' online reality series launched in November 2020 and ran until mid-January 2021. A big thank you to everyone that tuned into the mini series and shared with others. A campaign evaluation has been undertaken and you can read the report by clickling this link: Looking out for our neighbours campaign evaluation 2021.
In Episode 1 our neighbours opened up about life during Covid-19 and offered their insights and advice for all to hear. In Episode 2: Impact’ on your communities you heard our reality stars discuss the impact Covid-19 was having on their relationships and how they were remaining positive. Episode 3: ‘Kindness’ to your communities our neighbours discussed acts of kindness and sent festive messages to help inspire positivity during the winter period. In the final instalment of the series, Episode 4: A New Year, our reality stars reflected on self-care and sent messages for the year ahead.
Our favourite neighbours came back together for a special catch-up episode in January 2021.
We know that many are feeling the mental struggle of Covid-19 and no one should feel lonely or isolated over the winter months. On the ourneighbours.org.uk website a new support section was created. It is possible to filter and find support services from your area for you and your neighbours.
Support is also available via the national Connection Coalition website.
Looking out for our neighbours wins national PR award 
The ‘Looking out for our neighbours’ community campaign has been recognised as an award winning social movement, and won a PRmoment Award for Public Sector Campaign for the Year on Wednesday 11 November. The PR awards scheme receives over 800 entries each year.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community led campaign encouraged over 49,000 people to get involved in their communities by making a positive difference to their neighbours’ lives through simple acts of kindness. We are delighted to have won this award and hope it gives it a stronger platform for more community success and above all wonderful acts of kindness.
First birthday celebrations
In March 2020 we looked back at a year of people and organisations across West Yorkshire and Harrogate looking out for our neighbours, making a big difference with small acts of kindness.
Campaign evaluation: December 2019 – March 2020
This "Winter phase" of the #OurNeighbours campaing was specifically commissioned to allow an evolution of seasonal messages for how people could look out for their neighbours throughout the winter period when, typically, the vulnerable are even more at risk. This phase of the campaign took a predominantly digital approach with elements of supporting print. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this evaluation was paused and picked back up again in June 2020.
Campaign evaluation: December 2019 – March 2020
Thank you to everyone who has supported Our Neighbours
We launched 'Looking out for our neighbours' campaign in March 2019 to try and reduce loneliness and isolation across West Yorkshire and Harrogate. Since then, over 12,000 people have visit our website at ourneighbours.org.uk, downloaded 2000 resources and send over 2,700 social media posts using #OurNeighbours.
Our partners and supporters
Thousands of people and hundreds of organisations across West Yorkshire and Harrogate are supporting the #OurNeighbours campaign, including Jox Cox Foundation ambassador Kim Leadbeater.
"I feel passionately about creating well-connected communities where everyone is happy and healthy and has a sense of identity and belonging, and it is heart-warming to see the work that Jo started on this important issue being continued in such a positive way in the county where we grew up. Much of my focus since Jo was killed has been on how we can build compassionate communities and bring people together. The national Great Get Together campaign which we run across the weekend of Jo's birthday in June is the centre piece of this, and it would be wonderful to think that some of the connections which will be made through the 'Looking out for your Neighbours' initiative can be continued and we see lots of Great Get Togethers happening in June as a result! I believe if we all work together to prevent loneliness and its associated health risks, we can reduce the demand on health and care services and have a positive impact on the wellbeing of everyone, which is why I am delighted to support this campaign".
Listen to Kim, along with Our Neighbours from South West Yorkshire Partnership Foundation Trust, Turning Point Talking Therapies, Andy's Man Club and Live Well Wakefield talk about the positive effect of Looking out for Our Neighbours in this special edition of the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership podcast.
Partner organisations are showcasing the campaign on their websites, with Looking out for our neighbours branded pages such as this one from NHS Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group.
Why are we looking out for our neighbours?
We know that not only hospitals and doctors keep people well; a person’s life choices are also important. We need to see a change in people’s behaviours, built on trust and empowerment, where the benefits of self-care, early help and preventing ill health can flourish. The success of this relies on our communities more than any other stakeholder groups.
More neighbourly interactions and education on how to support vulnerable neighbours in a community can also have a positive impact on issues associated with loneliness, reducing the possibility of dementia, heart disease and depression. Lonely people are more likely to suffer from these conditions.
Findings published in Age UK’s new report “All the lonely people: Loneliness amongst Older People” (2018) show that the number of older people who are lonely has remained relatively constant and that the numbers are rising fast. This could be a major public health concern because if loneliness is not addressed it can become chronic, seriously affecting people’s health and well-being.
A Health Foundation report (December 2018) highlighted how living alone can make older people 50% more likely to find themselves in A&E than those living with family. Pensioners living alone are also 25% more likely to develop a mental health condition. Social isolation can raise the risk of having a stroke by a third and is considered as unhealthy as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Our Partnership has allocated £1m to support voluntary and community organisations through the WY&H HCP Harnessing the Power of Communities Programme to help tackle loneliness and to further support the role of VCS partners in our local areas. This campaign offers further support for this work.
If we can re-engage communities in looking out for their neighbours by providing local tips for wellbeing at a neighbourhood level, then we have the potential to positively impact on the increasing demand on health and care services – by working together and looking out for each other.
Insight work
As part of our market research, we carried out some insight /testing with a sample of people in the following areas to ask them about what makes a good neighbour; their perceptions of community spirit and what sort of things they would be willing to do for a neighbour.
Findings suggest that being neighbourly is different to having a community spirit. Residents tended to prefer campaigns that come from within their communities. This makes the role of community champions. organisations and advocates an important part of our campaign. This is why we’re localising our campaign, which was co-created with over 100 people across the region.
What you can do
Our Partnership is in a unique position to work together to make a positive difference together with communities and neighbourhoods.
Visit the official 'Looking out for our neighbours' website at ourneighbours.org.uk for more information about the campaign and to see what kinds of things you can do to look our for your neighbours in your own community.
- As an individual: sign up to support the campaign via this online form
- As an organisation: download the resource pack here (please send this link to your communications team if you have one)
Please get behind this important campaign and show the power of working together to benefit us all.
Evaluation reports
Original evaluation report
Our first ‘Looking out for our neighbours’ campaign evaluation report, produced with the support of the University of Leeds, was published earlier in 2020. It highlights how more than 46,000 people took action and looked out for their neighbours in support of the campaign. From helping with shopping, putting out bins to simply saying hello or starting a conversation, local communities shared how they have helped to combat loneliness across West Yorkshire and Harrogate.
The evaluation report, commissioned by the Partnership as part of the campaign, has been published following a month of speaking with local communities and listening to their stories through face-to-face interviews and an online survey. Data included in the report also showed that 72% of people believed that the campaign has made a positive difference to the wellbeing of their neighbours. There is a recommendation section which will be discussed with the Urgent and Emergency Programme Board and others as part of ‘what next’?.
Looking out for our neighbours campaign evaluation report
December 2019 – March 2020
This "Winter phase" of the #OurNeighbours campaing was specifically commissioned to allow an evolution of seasonal messages for how people could look out for their neighbours throughout the winter period when, typically, the vulnerable are even more at risk. This phase of the campaign took a predominantly digital approach with elements of supporting print. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this evaluation was paused and picked back up again in June 2020.
Looking out for our neighbours campaign evaluation report: December 2019 – March 2020