WHO is the best neighbour in Swindon?

Co-op Insurance and Neighbourhood Watch want the people of Swindon to send in nominations for their Neighbour of the Year Award 2019.

They want to hear about neighbours who go above and beyond to help their neighbourhood and surrounding community.

Entries will then be judged before the neighbour of the year for the south west and the UK as a a whole are crowned.

Caroline Hunte from the Co-op said: “We’re really looking forward to seeing what the second year of this competition will bring.

“We know that people are doing great things as neighbours, and in their overall community, so we’re looking forward to hearing about these people and celebrating those neighbours who are doing things that are extra special in their community.”

Additionally, this year sees the introduction of a new category to crown someone the 2019 Community Spaces Champion. The new award will celebrate someone who has shown commitment to either save, improve, or use a local space for the good of their neighbours or overall community.

The Community Space Champion comes as Co-op partners with charity Locality to launch an endangered spaces campaign to protect, support and improve 2,000 at-risk community spaces by 2022.

The Community Spaces Champion Award will be judged on how people have used a space in their local area to make a difference. This will be things such as setting up a sports match for neighbours at a local park; creating a community garden; setting up a support group in a community; or even helping to save a space from being shut down.

CEO of Neighbourhood Watch Network John Hayward-Cripps said: “With so much focus recently on what divides us, it’s good to be reminded of the ordinary people who make our nation great. The kind, everyday deeds of neighbours help create safe, secure and happy neighbourhoods where peopl eand communities thrive. That’s something we can all unite behind. I look forward to seeing the nominations to be reminded just how wonderful people can be.”