A STREET in Eccles has been named as one of the three friendliest in Britain.
Residents of Snowdon Road won the accolade for having a community spirit that is `second to none'.
Newcomers to the neighbourhood are always greeted with a bottle of wine and welcome card and street parties are frequent.
Among those living on Snowdon Road are Paralympic gold-medallist Sarah Bailey, MBE, and the entire neighbourhood turned out for good luck parties to send her on her way to compete in Sydney and Athens.
Resident Danny McAvoy, 31, who nominated his street for a BBC radio contest, said: "There'll be another before she heads off to Beijing in 2008, and plenty more before then."
Danny, brother of Wigan rugby league star Nathan, said Snowdon Road was a place `where everyone knows your name'.
"It's a really close community and we look out for each other - but not in an intrusive way," he said.
"Two neighbours sadly lost their baby while they were on holiday. I've got a key for their house, so we went round and put some flowers in to make it a little bit easier for them when they got back and let them know everyone was thinking of them." He added that past events had seen the street transformed into a fairground with bouncy castles, gazebos and a visit from Eccles Brass Band.
Banners
Multi-talented Sarah, 29, who has switched from swimming to cycling, revealed she had an unexpected surprise from fellow residents when she competed in Manchester's Commonwealth Games.
"I looked up from the pool and saw loads of people from the street in the crowd," she said. "They'd made banners to support me and I was really proud.
"It's that kind of street. I guess they should call us `24-hour party people'!"
One of the longest-serving residents, Ken Clays, 47, came from Wales.
"It's a great place to live - everybody mucks in for each other," he said.
Tomorrow, the centre of attention will be Gary Kinnear's house for a Snowdon Road New Year's Eve party.
The street was pipped to first place by a Leeds rival.
IS your street as friendly as Snowdon Road? Have your say!
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""I WISH?"" At one time in britain this was common?We had lots of mates who our kids calledc aunty and uncle Ect but somehow the slum clearance put a end to a century of friends"Bad planning by the idiots in our councils/government at the time" But its really great to see at least some people are really trying to bring this sence of family back in our streets and communities? it takes a lot of time and effort to build .So well done and dont let it go show your kids how to build on this great thing you have all got??Its easy to loose .
Great to see real community spirit. Let us hope it will inspire people all over the area to do the same. It's what's lacking. Get it going in your street - it only takes a few good neighbours to turn things round.
I would hate o live on a street like this. The neighbours all gossiping and getting involved in your business. Sounds like a nightmare!
Watch thy nieghbour!find out who thy nieghbour is.See all hear all say nowt.sup all eat all,give nowt.
I live on Snowdon Road...I have no idea of the names of my neighbours, not sure when these street parties take place and I certainly haven't been invited to a New Year Party!
I read with interest that my street was one of the friendliest in Britain. I am amazed that it has been awarded with this accolade. Are these the same people that have never wished us 'Merry Christmas' in the 25 years I have lived here? These are the same friendly neighbours that crossed the road when I took my daughter out in her wheelchair when she was battling cancer, either for fear they'd catch something or did they did know what to say so ignoring was the easier option. I would have rather them say the wrong thing than treat us like we should have bells around our necks. I do not know all my neighbour's names and when my daughter then I had cancer and my husband broke his leg, not a daisy let alone a card! One neighbour even told my daughter that I was dead and that she was going to report us for keeping an animal, a cat. It seems the term friendly has become confused with clique and if your face fits then you are in, if not then you are ignored. It is an average road where curtains twitch and neighbours keep themselves very much to themselves. I have never seen all this chatting in 25 years and as for community spirit, where?
Whilst I am very pleased that we have been given this award, in my opinion I cannot for the life of me fathom out why, the first I knew was your article in the paper....so much for neighbourliness eh?
SUE, Manchester , is spot on, neighbours shouldn't be seen or heard. What a bunch of annoying ,bouncing castle hiring busy bodies this lot must be.
Sounds like an oasis of calm and sanity in what a working class area used to be in this country.
Moved very close to Snowdon rd several months back...although there hasn't been any street parties in the last year...there are definitely happy, friendly, down to earth and genuine people who I see regularly! I'm looking forward to being part of a community that enjoys supporting each other...whatever the occasion!
Friends of mine lived on the street-I've been to one of the street party's for the pre-Olympics and to "send off" Sarah Bailey! What a community spirit there was on that great day, so Well Done to all the residents of Snowdon Road!
To 'Me'
Just to let you know if you want to come round for a cup of tea you are more than welcome. I have lots of pictures of past street parties to show you if you want to see them.
Regards
Danny
This doesn't ring true i've had my car stolen and vandalised several times and been verbally abused not by unruly kids but by loutish parents. I wish them all well if they're trying to mend their ways i really do.
Our small road containing 7
bungalows near to the sea could be deemed as one of the most unfriendly places on earth. I often think that some of the people have a second
residence....on another planet.
I would hate to live in a street like this. A load of old interfering gossipers as neighbours. Interesting that there is only six people in the photo plus a baby. That says it all. I guess the reader who lives in this road isright after all.
Hi Danny,
As I mentioned I have lived on this road for 25 years and in all that time there have been 2 street parties, both of which we had to pay for and a community New Years Eve party, held in a church hall that hardly anybody turned up, for and arranged by an occupant of Glendale. Don't get me wrong, I love living here but don't make it out to be something it isn't.
Ou rstreet is friendly enough, but sometimes neighbours have rows
I lived with my family on Snowdon Road for 7 years. The neighbours are on the whole fantastic.Danny McAvoy is typical of many on the Road,friendly,helpful,considerate,neighbourly. There have been several parties and they were all well attended and enjoyed. Why people have to be negative is beyond me. Keep up the good work Dan and the rest.
As resident of St Ives in Armley, one of the other friendliest streets mentioned, I would like to comment that we don't all live in a perfect world, and we aren't all in each other's pockets twitching at the window. It takes a while to create a ground swell which is positive and for people to right wrongs, forgive the past and move on. It seems to me that there is a real desire in the UK to get back to the times where we looked out for each other, lived with tolerance and respect. People like Danny and Co, are at least trying to get something moving and have enough fresh optimism to put their head above the parapet.
It isn't for everyone, but maybe the more you look out for each other the less burgleries there will be, the more people will OFFER assistance.
Right enough rose tinted specs.
www.tatb.blogspot.com
You can't have a friendly street if you have neighbours who don't give two figs about what their kids get up to, and their children effing and blinding and telling you to f-off every time when you ask them kindly to move on from your house because you find them intimidating. If people took responsibility for their kids and neighbours punished their kids appropriately for wrongdoing by grounding and appropriate punishments then people would get on better! It's the scroaty families that need driving out and nice people moving in that makes things more friendly sociable and better!