Cass Gray says since moving back to Taranaki and having her baby girl, Gigi, she's realised the value of good neighbours.
Cass Gray says since moving back to Taranaki and having her baby girl, Gigi, she's realised the value of good neighbours.
“Neighbours, Everybody needs good neighbours”
It’s likely most readers will recognise the above lyrics as being from the well-known theme song from Neighbours, the long-running Australian television soap opera.
While the soap opera certainly portrayed plenty of “not so good” neighbourly relations over the years, the reality is a good neighbourhood is built on good neighbours, says Cass Gray.
Cass is the Taranaki “connector” for Neighbours Aotearoa, a nationwide initiative which runs throughout March, encouraging people across the motu to get to know their neighbours better, with the aim of creating supportive and resilient communities.
The initiative, now in its 14th year, has grown substantially from its starting point of a one-day event to its current month-long timeframe. Every year has a different theme, and this year’s theme is Growing Together, says Cass.
Local Connector Cass and her daughter Gigi delivering information flyers about Neighbours Aotearoa in her neighbourhood.
“It’s all about how communities can do exactly that, grow together. For me though, with a new baby, I think it’s also taken on quite a literal meaning, the idea of kids growing up together, playing together in their neighbourhood. I like that idea.”
Born and raised in Taranaki, Cass moved back to the region after living overseas in Australia and the UK.
“I actually was in Melbourne during the Covid lockdown. I think then people really realised the importance of knowing your neighbours and being connected with them. So moving back to Taranaki, I knew I wanted to know my neighbourhood, especially now after having my daughter Gigi, I am spending more time in my neighbourhood with her.”
Cass says there’s lots of ways people can get involved in this this year’s initiative.
“And I know it can feel quite daunting, the idea of maybe talking to your neighbours for the first time, but there are lots of resources to help, and the website has some great ideas on how to really easily get to know people.
“Maybe offering a helping hand to someone on your street as you see them, or even just printing out one of our notes and popping it in a mailbox letting people know who you are. You can set up a street Facebook page and put the details for that in letterboxes along your street, so people can choose to join that maybe.”
Cass is always available to help people with ideas and resources, she says.
“At any point, you can give me a call or email me and I am happy to chat about ways you can get involved.”
You can go big, or go small, says Cass.
“I know some streets and neighbourhoods organise barbecues or parties, but that doesn’t work for everyone or every area. So it’s about finding what works, maybe a Facebook page, maybe a note in letterboxes, or even just a friendly hello and learning the names of your neighbours.”
Whatever people decide to do, it would be great if they could register on the website, says Cass.
“It helps us see what is happening, and also helps give other people some ideas too.”
Ilona Hanne is a regional news reporter based in Taranaki. She joined NZME in 2012 and is editor of the Stratford Press, one of NZME’s community newspapers.
