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Italy and Spain have held balcony parties and rooftop fitness classes and now Australians are coming together to help each other through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Source : PortMac.News | Independent :

Source : PortMac.News | Independent | News Story:

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Australian neighbours spread good vibes amid virus crisis
Italy and Spain have held balcony parties and rooftop fitness classes and now Australians are coming together to help each other through the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

Maureen Hatcher started the community Facebook group "4069 Helping Hands" to offer help to neighbours and friends in the area — in just over a week membership jumped to almost 1,000.

"I got quite down and fell into that trap of reading negative news and I thought I needed to do something positive," Ms Hatcher said.

Ms Hatcher said group members offered help where they could including bringing people groceries or medical supplies.

She said members also dropped leaflets with their details in letter boxes for older residents who were not on social media.

"The requests for help are slowly coming in, there are people coming from overseas who need supplies or emergency accommodation (to self-isolate) and people who can't go out to get medication or groceries.

"Although this is horrible, adversity brings people together."

'We were so thrilled someone cared'

Gold Coast retiree Sue Mantle (Above photo with Taylor) publicly thanked her neighbour Taylor Clarke with a shout-out on ABC Brisbane radio after he left a note with his details offering to help with whatever she needed.

"I had tears in my eyes, it was just so lovely, and my husband Roger felt the same," Mrs Mantle said.

"We were so thrilled someone cared.

"We don't know what's going to happen and that's our big concern — my husband has medical problems and we don't know if we'll be isolated.

"It is very comforting to know they are just over the road."

Mr Clarke said his note sparked a friendship with his older neighbours, whom he had not previously spoken to much before he decided to reach out.

"We live in that era where some people don't even talk to their neighbours, so to reconnect and get to know them has been a plus," he said.

"I would definitely recommend other people do it. If we stick by each other, we'll be right."

Even toddlers are getting onboard, with kids at a childcare centre in Brisbane's north-west crafting paintings and care packs for elderly residents after their monthly visits were cancelled.

"We obviously can't go up there at the moment, but we still want to do something," Perfect Beginnings Child Care Centre director Danni Clarke said.

"They're a huge part of our community, so we want to make sure we're keeping that connection and making sure they know we're thinking of them and we can all do this together."

A baker who delivers

In Boonah, in south-east Queensland, a local bakery has offered free home delivery as bread shelves empty in major supermarkets.

Arthur Clive's Bakery Café owner Jared Pennell said it had sparked other businesses to do the same.

"We want to try and drive some positivity and calmness into this big negative situation, and it's been really well received by the community, the response has been huge," he said.

"We've seen a lot of people with elderly parents in the area that have felt a sense of relief to know their mum or dad or their grandparents will be OK.

"It's important to stay positive. We've suffered some big things in this country and we'll get through it — we just have to keep calm and be kind to people."

Setting the tone

University of Queensland social psychologist Dr Fiona Barlow commended Prime Minister Scott Morrison for this week calling on Australians to stop negative behaviour such as hoarding.

"How we respond within this next little while is going to set the tone for how we, as a nation, respond," she said.

"What we're doing also is setting a norm. We're showing who we are and how we want others to behave as well.

"We look to see how other people are behaving and, without even realising it, copy their behaviour."

Dr Barlow said it was important to see public acts of kindness during a crisis.

"Altruism and pro-social behaviour is absolutely expected at this time and the acts of kindness we're seeing are incredible," she said.

"It's really interesting because it's a phenomenon that effectively replicates itself.

"When someone does something kind for us, we feel obligated to do something kind back to them because we feel grateful.

"Studies show when we feel really grateful, we're more likely to do more kind things for strangers.

"A small act of kindness for one person may have a huge knock-on effect, creating a cascading effect of kindness.

"With every positive behaviour, we have the potential, I think, to make a difference in isolated people's lives as well as to encourage those around us to act in the same way."

Below | Amelia Kaminski at Perfect Beginnings doing a painting for the local aged care centre.


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