Coronavirus: How to be a good neighbour during lockdown

We are all spending much more time than we normally do within our home boundary due to Coronavirus.

This means we are spending more time with the people we live with and also those who live close by, our neighbours

With an enforced stay at home and a bout of good weather many people have been gardening. The council has had to close tips as part of the Governments clamp down on the coronavirus so many people are turning to bonfires to remove the garden waste they have produced.

Grass is not suitable for burning due to its high-water content. You will need to dry it out if you want to burn it – you can do this by spreading it out thinly to dry in the sun. Instead, you can use grass clippings around veggies and plants to deter slugs and snails.

Bonfires can upset neighbours and cause breathing problems for those with underlying medical conditions or suffering from the virus. Also, Bonfires can get out of control quickly.

If you want to burn garden waste, try to let neighbours know (pop a note through the door) pick a quiet time of day where other people are less likely to be outside. Ensure you have the proper equipment.

If only dry garden waste is burnt, your bonfire should not cause a problem. Never burn household waste – this will pollute the air with harmful toxins.

Here’s some more advice

• Site any bonfire well away from buildings, fences, trees and garden structures.

• Have a garden hose to hand in case the fire starts to get out of control.

• Don’t light a bonfire on a windy day, as it could flare up more than you expect.

• If you’re planning a substantial bonfire, stay with it at all times to ensure that it remains safe.

• Never use flammable liquids such as petrol or paraffin to start a bonfire.

There’s more information and how you can inform Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue if you are planning a large bonfire on their website.

Leaves, grass cuttings, unwanted plants and clippings, twigs and pruned branches, teabags and coffee grounds can all be turned into compost – which is great for your garden. If composting, avoid grass cuttings turning into a stinky, black, slimy mess by mix it with prunings and shredded newspaper/cardboard. It shrinks down very quickly.

Grass cuttings will also naturally compost in its separate, open pile – for instance in a corner of your garden or the back of a flowerbed – and add to it as you mow your lawn. This will also be great habitat for grass snakes.

n Many people are working at home so you should be considerate about the level of noise you create. Consider the impact you might have on your neighbours because of directed noisy activities or through party walls.

• Reduce TV, gaming or music volume, in particular reduce the bass.

• Consider the use of headphones if you wish to listen to high volume or music outside.

• Think of the time you might carry out DIY in home, garden or on vehicles.

• Do not allow your dog to excessively bark.

• If children are playing outside consider time, length of time, and what they are doing.

• Where music practice is occurring think of when that is in the day, and for how long.

Services

Environmental Health Officers are contactable via e-mail or telephone, although their ability to access emails and data files on the council’s network may be limited because they are working from home.

Please consider what you might be doing that may cause distress or upset. Everyone is in the main confined to their homes this can cause stress, anguish and frustration.