Knowing neighbours ‘binds communities’
Macra na Feirme’s Know Your Neighbour initiative has been launched as a survey of members reveals rural crime and rural isolation remain the key issues facing communities.
Some 25% of respondents identified rural crime as the biggest issue, while for 20%, it was rural isolation.
Launching Macra’s biggest annual community initiative for 2018 at the Claremorris show, Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring said: “The Know Your Neighbour campaign by Macra na Feirme is a great initiative.
“Whether you’ve lived in an area your whole life or have just moved in, getting to know your neighbours is very important. It binds our communities together. No telephone call or text conversation can replace physically meeting someone for a chat over a cup of tea.”
In the survey, depopulation was also identified as a major concern, along with access to key local services.
When asked about essential rural services such as the Post Office, 45% of members admitted they only used their local post office a couple of times a year.
Speaking at the campaign launch, Macra national president James Healy said: “This is the 13th year of Know Your Neighbour and over that period of time, it has grown to be one of the cornerstones of what Macra na Feirme stands for.
“It’s only through a strong sense of community spirit that rural Ireland can thrive. Whether you live in a sparsely populated region or a city or town, it’s important to have a relationship with those living around you.
“Our recent survey showed that 96% of Macra na Feirme respondents know who their neighbours are at the very least, which shows in my opinion that campaigns such as this one, do have an impact.”
The goal of Know Your Neighbour is to provide communities with an outlet for neighbours to get to know each other and establish a strong support network.
Every year, Macra na Feirme encourages clubs to set up a Know Your Neighbour event in their locality and encourage everyone in the region to attend.
In the past barbeques, country walks, sports days, and local area clean ups have all been held.
