Streetbank

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Gone are those blissful head-next-door-for-a-cup-of-sugar days, ‘love thy neighbour’ is a ghost from times gone past, as we find ourselves in a buy not borrow state of mind. This is where Streetbank comes in. A charity reigniting that all important sharing economy in communities across the UK: here we talk to Streetbank founder San Stephens to see how it all works.

What were you doing before Streetbank and what inspired you to stop that and create Streetbank?

I was running a small recruitment business focussing on senior charity positions. Streetbank was a side project that I spent a day or two a week on. When it started growing I had to choose between the enjoyable work and good income of headhunting and Streetbank which I saw could be a powerful tool to build community, to create those connections between neighbours. It wasn’t much of a contest.

As urban living increases how important do you think it is to make connections with neighbours?

Not just important but vital. Let me explain why I put this so strongly. We are living in a more isolated way than ever before. We live in smaller households, know fewer of our neighbours and trust each other less. As we isolate ourselves, we want to own things, rely on no-one and secure ourselves. It’s expensive, environmentally damaging and ultimately a bit lonely. This trend is the root of so many of the great challenges of our day.

The good news is that with new emerging technology – like Streetbank and Easycarclub – the trend can be reversed and with it the big challenges can be tackled. Economically, by helping us save money, environmentally by reducing our consumption and socially – as we connect we gain meaning, purpose and belonging.

 

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 Streetbank founder Sam Stephens showing the way
 

Isn’t that a bit pie-in-the-sky? What if I live on a street where my neighbours aren’t very nice?

I’m not saying it is easy. Building community is hard work and requires us to risk. It is personally costly to connect with your neighbours – not everyone responds well – but we see again and again the risk and the costs are worth it.

How do you get people involved?

A mix of ways. More than 40% of our members join us through word of mouth. Someone will have joined in a busy area, seen the number of people already signed up in their square mile and the richness of what is already being offered and then they’ll tell their friends who live close by. We also team up with partners like Neighbourhood Watch, the Big Lunch and Friends of the Earth, and facebook energetically. What we haven’t found so easy is proactively getting PR – we attract a little bit of media interest but our efforts to create a media storm haven’t yet succeeded!

What is the main aim of Streetbank?

Neighbourhoods where neighbours are generous! Where we hold what we have lightly and we know and enjoy our neighbours.

What is your favourite story from Streetbank and why?

One of my neighbours, Trisha, shared their house! It led to all kinds of good things. Someone in the neighbourhood had posted that they were pregnant and that their Australian parents were over needing someone to stay. Trisha, was off on holiday for two weeks so she offered her house. The parents came to stay, looked after her cat and when Trisha came back she became friends with the whole family including the new little baby boy.

If you were in charge for one day what would you do?

GMT+2 all year round. I’d also like a ten day week with a three day weekend. That means I could do more things on a weekly basis and go on more bicycling adventures!

 

For those of you feeling inspired to spread the word further, head here and remind people to love the things that they have.