Time to be a good neighbour

THE countryside may look picture postcard-pretty covered in a blanket of snow, but the freezing cold weather has caused any number of problems.

Yesterday, charity Action for Blind People called on us to spare a thought for our blind and visually impaired neighbours, who can become completely isolated in bad weather.

The charity asked the public to visit or telephone any blind or partially sighted people they knew in their area to see if they needed any help.

As the snow and ice continue to cause chaos across Scotland, this is a call we would echo and, indeed, argue that the principle should be applied more widely, not only for those who have sight problems.

Across the country, there will be many older people who are finding it hard to cope with the ice that has made many pavements in our towns and cities treacherous. They would surely appreciate a good neighbourly visit to see if they are coping.

And it is not just the elderly who may be finding it difficult. A neighbour may need a hand digging their car out of the snow, or some warmth by the fire while their frozen pipes go through the long process of thawing.

In urging people to look out for their neighbours, we would not absolve the authorities of their responsibilities for keeping our roads open or our power generation going. But we do say that, as the song has it, we can get by with a little help from our friends.