The Problem:

Our society has been drifting into a ‘keep-yourself-to-yourself’ mentality. It has become hard even to say

Thinking of smiling or greeting?

• Will they wonder what I want?
• Or think I’m ‘one of those people’ they can’t get rid of?
• Will I be ‘invading their private space?’

It all seems too difficult, and so many of us tend to pass others by, head down, no eye contact. 

Community spirit has been slowly, impercepibly, draining away over decades and it’s made our society poorer in the things that matter most.

No ‘permission to smile’!

The Fall-Out:

Remember the Coronavirus pandemic? Wasn’t there a wonderful upsurge in community spirit? And then it faded away. The question is: how can we reignite that and make it a permanent feature of our society? Or do we just accept:

• Less neighbourly support for those who need it
• Unmet need of help (e.g. with shopping for elderly people)
• An ever-greater burden on an already-overstretched public sector
• More isolation
• More loneliness
• Less encouragement and belonging

How, then, to reaffirm and refresh that community spirit – and make something of it for the future?

The Answer:

We need to make a change and that requires people power! Here’s how we can all take part:

• Start smiling and greeting again, especially where we live
• Take opportunities for simple friendliness
• Work with neighbours to support elderly people on your street.
• Talk to neighbours to start a Street Association on the street where you live details here
• Join with local stakeholders to create a Permission to Smile campaign partnership where you are.

We can do this! It’s time for each of us to be the answer.

 Neighbourhood organizations

Neighbourhood organizations can also play a vital role as local catalysts – churches, community centres, schools

 Join the friendliness revolution!

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