How to be a good neighbour (and accept help yourself ). By Katie Russell

Social distancing is the new weapon against the spread of coronavirus. While you might be making the most of working from home, some of your neighbours will be struggling. Community spirit has never been more important. We asked Nick Lisher, head of EMEA for Nextdoor, a social networking site for local areas, how you can best help your neighbours – and how to accept help.

Which neighbours should you look out for? According to Government guidelines, those who are likely to be most vulnerable include: over

70s, pregnant women, people with underlying health conditions – including the

1.5 million being contacted by the NHS this week – and those showing symptoms. When it comes to helping a neighbour, you have to make the first move.

“People often don’t know that they can ask for help,” Lisher says. And there is no time like the present to act: “The time is now – don’t waste any time to help those who may be vulnerable or isolated.”

How should you reach out?

Usually, you might knock on their door and go in for a cuppa. But the NHS has advised against inviting visitors inside. The health service has not explicitly warned against knocking on your neighbour’s door and keeping a 6ft distance, but that won’t be an option with the 1.5million being asked to totally

isolate, those who are ill, or if more stringent measures are put in place. Nor does Lisher advise posting notes through the letterbox.

The safest way to reach out to a neighbour is over the telephone or digitally. On the Nextdoor app, groups have been set up to help vulnerable neighbours and a new interactive “Help Map” feature allows you to mark yourself down as someone willing to volunteer.

How can you stop your neighbour feeling lonely? Staying at home might delay the spread of the virus, but it carries its own risks: namely a growing sense of loneliness and isolation. A “digital check-in service” might be the solution, according to Lisher. This could be on Nextdoor or another social media site, such as Skype or Facebook.

“I think it’s really important, with the increase of self-isolation measures, that people get connected digitally,” he says.

But what about elderly neighbours who may not be tech savvy? Even if your neighbour doesn’t know how to use a smartphone, you can still contact them through regular calls or texts – Lisher recommends some sort of “hello” at least once a day.

Or perhaps a relative, who may not live nearby, can flag their need for help online, on their behalf.

If a neighbour is helping you, how can you show gratitude?

“We have seen an overwhelming response of kindness from neighbours, offering help, support and companionship,” says Lisher.

“Even if you are feeling fit and well, if a neighbour reaches out, we would advise you to welcome the introduction and get to know them. You never know when you may need to call on them for support in the coming weeks.”