We recently undertook some research into how ‘so called’ deprived communities operate. We were keen to understand what had happened to the communities of the 1950’s where people left their doors open and children played safely in the streets.Communities where people invited their neighbours to watch television in their homes if they didn’t own their own TV set and the bulk of the weekly shop took place at the corner shop.
Nowadays, we barely know our neighbours, lock our doors and have our children barely out of our sight. Our shopping is undertaken in vast, faceless supermarkets and we would be hard pushed to recognise the cashier. So where is our community?
The answer, according to our research, is in Britain’s council estates. Only here is community live and well.
Amanda McDonald
