Neighbour Day 2011
27 Mar 2011
About
Neighbour Day is Australia's annual celebration of community, bringing together the people next door, across the street or on the next farm for a beer, a barbie or just a cuppa.
Held on the last Sunday in March every year, it's the perfect day to say thanks for being a great neighbour and for being there when I needed you most.
Five Principal Aims
1. Strengthen communities and build better relationships with the people who live around us.
2. Create safer, healthier and more vibrant suburbs and towns.
3. Promote tolerance, respect and understanding.
4. Break down community barriers.
5. Protect the elderly, the vulnerable and the disadvantaged
History
Neighbour Day was founded in Melbourne, Australia in March 2003 by Andrew Heslop after the remains of an elderly woman were found inside her suburban home.
Mrs Elsie Brown had been dead for 2 years - forgotten by her neighbours, her friends and her family.
It was not until a neighbour eventually realised she had not seen Mrs Brown for an extended period of time that Victoria Police were notified. Sadly when officers broke into her home they found Mrs Brown's skeletal remains still wrapped in a blanket on her sofa.
It is estimated Mrs Brown had died sometime in January 2001. Remarkably the gas, electricity, telephone and water all remained connected.
While Andrew didn't know Mrs Brown he was appalled by the apparent ease in which the world had left her behind. Neighbours had watched piles of mail, store catalogues and newspapers build up at her front door but they did nothing.
Widespread local and national media interest followed and it was this coverage that prompted Andrew to suggest a ‘National Check on Your Neighbour Day' in a Letter to the Editor of The Age published on 17th March 2003.
For more information on how to get involved with Neighbour Day, visit http://www.neighbourday.org/