Neighbourhood Sharing: The Sharehood To Merge with Streetbank (UK)

The Sharehood, Melbourne – 2806 people with 3208 shareables – is merging with Streetbank. Positive feedback on the idea seems like a win-win situation, so the merger should take place later this year or very early next year.

The Sharehood And Streetbank

Both The Sharehood and Streetbank promote local community and sharing. The name may morph into Streetbank Australia but they will keep doing the same thing.

How The Sharehood & The West Melbourne Sharehood Came About

In 2008 the Sharehood Collective started up in Northcote, inner Melbourne, then in April this year the neighbourhood of West Melbourne was chosen to participate in the Sharehood Neighbour Project, a project to encourage neighbours to share and connect.

West Melbourne was chosen for a number of reasons, one of these was the enthusiasm of the local Sharehood member, Cara Bradley. It was also because West Melbourne was identified as a community without its own identity unlike neighbouring suburbs.

FIRST: The West Melbourne project kicked off with a ‘fun, yummy and informative afternoon tea’ and lots of ideas on how to connect with neighbours and offers, for example using the local church garden space as a community garden.

THEN: By the time of the third afternoon tea in September there had been an offer by a local photographer to kick things along with a public exhibition and then movie nights hosted at local cafes.

IN OCTOBER: The first working bee at the Miller St Community Garden was held on 6 October with lots of herbs, flowers and vegetables planted, a compost bin set up and lots of unwanted vegetation removed.

The movie nights started on the 10 October to run for three weeks.

Summarising

People are connected electronically via an email list.

There is a Sharehood website with posts about what people are sharing, from several neighbourhoods.

Hopefully afternoon teas will continue to be a feature of living in a sharing neighbourhood???

If you would like to get involved in neighbourhood sharing activities check out the website, the West Melbourne Neighbours facebook group, or contact Jane Ward, jane@thesharehood.org or contact@thesharehood.org or call 0419 352 036.

Sounds great!