- 14
- Oct
Despite widespread reports of economic crisis, it seems that Britons are banding together and battling on.
Such is the claim of the childrens charity Ray of Sunshine, which has suggested that throughout the country there seems to be a reversion to an earlier era of kinship and austerity, with the older generations leading the charge into community togetherness. While 76 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said they tend to keep themselves to themselves and not socialise with their neighbours, more than nine out of ten (93 per cent) of Brits over the age of 55 said that they know something about those living close to them.
Not content with getting to know nearby residents – 81 per cent of Britons could greet their neighbour by name – Britons of all ages are even friendly with their local pets. According to the charity, 33 per cent of people know the name of their neighbours animals, which the group said added weight to the perception that Britain is a nation of animal lovers.
Furthermore, Ray of Sunshine claimed that as a country, UK residents are a trusting bunch. It noted that while incidences of crime are on the increase, many Britons are happy to let their neighbours know where they keep a spare key. According to the study, ten per cent of the population knows where keys are kept, while a further five per cent even know their neighbours alarm codes.
Consumers who are unfortunate enough to have been caught out by crimes such as burglary and theft in recent months, the costs of replacement may well have compounded their ability to keep up with other burgeoning demands such as food and fuel costs, credit cards and personal loans.
But despite growing financial pressures and rising crime levels, the childrens charity insisted that the nation is refusing to let this hurt their sense of community spirit. Residents in Scotland were said to have proved particularly resilient in the recent doom and gloom, with 95 per cent of respondents north of the border saying that they have got to know their neighbours. Meanwhile, 85 per cent of citizens in the south-west said they had done the same. Furthermore, the group claimed that while London may have something of a reputation as an impersonal and anonymous city, a "surprising" 83 per cent of consumers in the capital said they knew something about their neighbours.
Commenting on the statistics, Tim Shaw, chief executive officer of Ray of Sunshine, claimed: "From our work granting wishes for children living with serious illnesses, we know that people tend to band together and support each other in difficult times. It is encouraging to see that communities are doing this in response to the tough economic climate. Just greeting someone by name, or inviting them in for a cuppa can bring a ray of sunshine to their day and give the whole community a boost."
For those who have found an increased need for financial support as well as community spirit as the economic climate has grown more miserable, taking out a debt consolidation loan may be of interest. Opting for this type of loan may be particularly useful for the 42 per cent of respondents to a recent study by Abbey which claimed that managing repayment responsibilities was now their biggest concern in their household.
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