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Latest news
‘Good Neighbour’ award
Roger & Barbara
win Luton’s first
‘Good Neighbour’
award
A husband and wife team who have been described as “champions of
neighbourliness” in their local area of Luton have won the first
‘Good Neighbours’ award in a new project organised by the town’s
promotional consortium Luton First.
Roger and Barbara Wheeler, who beat nearly 40 other nominations to
the title, will receive the ‘Good Neighbours’ crystal trophy at an
informal presentation at their home in Graham Gardens on
Wednesday, October 25th.
The search to find Luton’s unsung heroes began in June this year
with official nomination forms available at ‘The Mall’ shopping
centre or on-line at a dedicated website. Letters of nomination
were also accepted via the University of Bedfordshire.
“We believed it was time to focus attention on Luton’s sense of
neighbourliness by recognising some of the town’s heroes and
applauding their selfless deeds on behalf of others,” said
Patricia Murchie, Luton First’s Chairwoman. “And we were delighted
with the response.”
The Wheelers were nominated by their close neighbour Anne De Zilva
who explained how the couple had gone well beyond reasonable
expectations of a good neighbour.
“Apart from being coordinators of our Neighbourhood Watch scheme,
they also check on the sick and elderly, often ferrying them to
and from hospitals and surgeries,” said Anne. “They are champions
of neighbourliness, helping people with their shopping and keeping
a watchful eye on all the most vulnerable residents, ensuring that
nobody takes advantage of them.”
Roger and Barbara, who said they were shocked and embarrassed to
be nominated, have a perception of a good neighbour as someone who
is approachable and willing to help whenever necessary, without
being intrusive.
“This may not necessarily be in the form of physical help but,
perhaps, lending a listening ear and comfort in difficult
circumstances,” says Roger. “One should also be considerate to
others when carrying out home improvements and garden maintenance,
to avoid being a nuisance.”
The couple also initiated the first ‘No Cold Calling’ area in
Luton when they were on the steering committee of NBW, which has,
they say, greatly reduced the number of distraction burglaries and
helped to make residents feel safer in their homes.
As ‘Street Champions’ they inform the Council about litter and fly
tipping, dog fouling, abandoned cars and defective street lights
while, as ‘Community Champions’, they also help residents to
protect their consumer rights via the local Trading Standards
Office.
“Roger and Barbara are obviously fine examples of
neighbourliness,” said Patricia Murchie today. “And while much of
today’s news seems to be dominated by disharmony, tensions and
crime, there is another picture of people helping each other in
the true tradition of genuine friendship and neighbourliness.”
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