#Lockdown Neighbourhood WhatsApp group

One of the good features of this horrific time is local camaraderie and help for each other.  We moved to our cul-de-sac 23 years ago and, as many of the original residents are still here, the majority are over 60. But there are also four young families.  Three weeks ago one of the young mothers put a note through each door suggesting we join in a WhatsApp group to help each other. It was a popular idea and soon there were offers to fetch shopping or requests to collect prescriptions. We shared information about ordering vegetable plants and compost to be delivered by a local garden centre and of a nearby pub/restaurant providing fruit and salad boxes with optional dairy or meat products.

But this group has turned into social media. All day long there are chats about donations of enormous cardboard boxes and photos of the castles and cars the toddlers (and their parents) have made with the boxes. The photos of empty shelves in the local supermarket have thankfully stopped. My first good deed had been to share a few toilet rolls!

We have had no victims of the virus, as yet, in our 17 houses but there has been sadness when a lovely lady in her 70s who has the most beautiful garden has had to move into a care home due to advancing dementia. At this point her husband found it difficult to cope on his own so reluctantly their sons decided he too should move into a home, but unfortunately a different one.  We also had great joy two days ago when one of our community gave birth to healthy twin boys! We were happy to see a photo.  Today has included messages about hidden Easter eggs for the children on their doorsteps and a violin concert in the middle of the road by our resident Music teacher.

Last night there was great amusement when my nearest neighbour asked if anyone had a tin of condensed milk. After a search I found a tin but had to admit that it had expired in 2015. Luckily another neighbour found one from 2019 which was thought safer! Now we are having a competition to see who can find the most out of date food item. If my mother was still alive, she would definitely have won.