Need help from your neighbours? Think again…
By Effective Communication
…unless you’re a women that this.
It seems old fashioned neighbourhood courtesy is becoming a thing of the past, according to recent research by AXA.
When asked if they would be willing to provide a new neighbour with a cup of sugar over one in 10 said they would refuse, with 6% stating they simply don’t trust people they don’t know.
However research, carried out by AXA, has revealed that if you are a lady and ask the young, you have a better chance of borrowing something from your neighbour. Almost a third said they would be more receptive if a woman asked in comparison to just 3% if it was a man! And six in 10 18-24 year olds said they would be more likely to lend something to a neighbour while only four in 10 over 55 year olds could say the same thing.
But it seems although some neighbours are willing to help, people are not comfortable asking for help with 12% admitting that they would rather find a local shop or call a family member rather than knock on a neighbour’s door.
Further research was carried out across the UK through live experiments to find out whether people would physically hand over a cup of sugar when asked by a new neighbour.
A clear north south divide appeared with 83% of neighbours in the South East and South West willing to help, in comparison to just 50-60% of those in the North West, Wales and Scotland.
But it was those in Yorkshire & Humberside that came out tops, with residents in York, Sheffield and Leeds all providing the “new neighbour” with a cup of sugar, many of whom went on to offer other items (tea bags and biscuits), giving information about the local area, recommending nearby walks and even inviting them in for a cuppa. Unlike those in Cardiff, Cambridge and Liverpool where only two out of five locals were neighbourly, with one Liverpudlian responding with ‘clear off’!
Amanda Edwards, from AXA home insurance said: “It is lovely to see that people are willing to help their neighbours however it is sad to hear that trust in people is so low. Helping a neighbour in need, knowing those who live close by and being a friendly face is vital not just for the development of neighbourhoods but also to improve the security of people’s homes. AXA home insurance is calling on people to take the time to say hello, know your neighbours and bring back old fashioned neighbourliness.”
Top 10 of those that would give a cup of sugar
| Questioned online result | Live experiment result | ||
| 1 | Edinburgh | 1 | Sheffield |
| 2 | Aberstwyth | 1= | Leeds |
| 3 | Swansea | 1= | York |
| 4 | Worcester | 3 | Brighton & Hove |
| 5 | Norwich | 5 | Newcastle |
| 6 | Plymouth | 6 | Bristol |
| 7 | Sheffield | 7 | Gloucester |
| 8 | York | 8 | Worcester |
| 9 | Manchester | 9 | Wrexham |
| 10 | Leeds | 10 | Plymouth |
Cardiff Regional Stats
- Although 55% said they would help a new neighbour and provide the item they needed, 6% said they would simply ask them to go away and almost one in 10 said they wouldn’t because they don’t trust people they don’t know
- 14% of people in Cardiff stated they would not ask their neighbors for help and would rather go to a shop or call a family member or friend instead
- 32% of people in Cardiff claimed they would be more receptive to a woman compared to just 2% that said they would be more receptive to a man.
- Cardiff is one of the worst cities for having neighborhood friendliness, among Liverpool and Chelmsford. When tested, only 2/5 people were happy to give sugar to a new neighbour
Tags: AXA, friendly cities, neighbourhood courtesy, spoonful of sugar
