WhatsApp groups strengthening community

My name is Lindsay and I’ve lived on our street in Aberdeen for 11 years. I was a physiotherapist at ARI but now work with my husband in our family business and am a mum to teenage twins.

We live on a residential street in the Midstocket area of Aberdeen. Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is only across the road so some of our neighbours are associated with the hospital and we were so worried about everyone - we didn’t know what was going to happen.

Many of the homes have families with young children, but there are also a few retired folk on the street. When lockdown happened in March and the fear and panic buying started I thought we would need a street chat group so anyone needing help with anything could ask in the group.

Many of the neighbours offered to do shopping, pick up prescriptions or run errands and generally shared good wishes and supportive messages - it was really nice to see people willing to help out where they could.

Before we set up the chat group, I only knew a few of my most immediate neighbours but the chat group grew very quickly and everyone invited those they knew. It’s been live for over eight months now and still going strong.

No one really needs help with shopping anymore, but residents use it to offer plants, or other items for free. They share information about local events or anything unusual they’ve seen on the street. We’ve even had a Peregrine Falcon and fox spotting!

It gave focus to the community and the opportunity to offer help and be helped as we went through the restrictions and anxiety together.

I believe it has improved the sense of community on our street which I know will continue to go from strength to strength. I hope we can organise a big street party once we can celebrate the end of the need for restrictions. Thank you!