Meet the neighbours , make a website

A schoolboy was so sick of his neighbours ignoring each other he has set up a website to introduce them. Computer whiz Jake Cracknell, 11, designed the site, Rosslyn Avenue so that his neighbours could ask each other favours and arrange social events.

And the website for his Barnes street has been so successful that dad Robin says he has met neighbours he didn’t even know existed, despite living there for 14 years.

Jake said: "I just found that I didn’t know any of my neighbours and I thought it would be good to bring some community spirit to our road. It has been up for a few weeks and so far I’ve had good comments on the website about it. People are getting to know each other. Our best resource is each other. We also want to help the elderly, or if someone was going away for a few weeks they could find someone to look after their cat, or water their flowers."

Secondary school pupil Jake let his neighbours know about the site by posting leaflets through their doors and putting a notice up in the local newsagents. The guestbook on the site proves the site has already been a big hit.

One neighbour, Anne posted a comment saying: "What a great idea! I live on the street with my daughter and - you're quite right - we hardly know a soul except for our immediate neighbours. Best of luck - communities are so important and make everyone's life easier - and much more fun."

It has been so successful he is now thinking of expanding the site to include a wider network of neighbouring streets.

Dad Robin said: "I think that it has really changed this street. We have lived on this road for 14 years and before there wasn’t any shared spirit. Jake said: ‘We have lived here since I was born and we only know the people on our left and on our right, why?’ Like most kids he is a web-whiz and so we decided to try out his idea. I found out in the last month that there were all sorts of old folk on our road who were crying out for help. They asked us to go to the shops and pick up milk and cat food for them. We don’t mind at all but it is not until now that they have asked. It is a way of sharing those little needs."