AIBU to suggest a street WhatsApp group for local activities?

[Beece]

I live in a nice, leafy, well off area, good catchments etc in a small town / large village. Theres a few social activities in the town, annual flower show, Britain in bloom, pub quiz etc. some of the flower show competitions and the pub quiz are done by street. Best kept street and so ob.

Our street doesn’t join in. It’s not that people are antisocial or not interested in these sorts of things I don’t think, it’s just that there’s nobody who is the confident and organised type who lives here. I’m not that sort of person but I think I could be and I think it could be fun and others might find it fun.

I’m thinking of pushing notes through the door seeing if people want to start a WhatsApp group. What does anyone think? Do you have a WhatsApp group for the street? It might be nice to look out for each other a bit more, but might it be a bit too ‘in your face?’ Views!

We have a street WhatsApp group and use it to share local news etc and plan events as a street. It is lovely but we are lucky to have very nice neighbours!

I would hate it as I'm already in enough groups and don't feel a huge need to communicate any more with my neighbours...but I am a bit of an anti social sod!

I have no idea if there is a WhatsApp group for my street, but I certainly wouldn't join one. I can predict a few people flooding it with inconsequential twaddle (polite version) and everyone else feeling the need to mute it within a fortnight.
These are just random people, so I don't see the point, tbh.

No way.

I get on well with my neighbours but I'm very selective about who I give my phone number to.

We have a very active what’sapp group for our street. I have it muted but it is very useful for getting rid of stuff/ recommendations/helping each other out when people have had parcels delivered etc.

we have a street what’sapp group but only for the 6/7 houses that already socialise with each other. Do you already socialise with your neighbours, or do you want to get to know them more?

We have a street WhatsApp group. It’s been really helpful - you can get recommendations for local tradesmen on it, people give advance notice of if they’re having scaffolding put up, or a skip delivered and our annual street party gets organised on it. You can always mute notifications, but ours has genuinely been nothing but helpful.

We have one that is used a few times a year. It's lovely and mainly used for found pets. I love it because it's nice to know we can contact everyone quickly if need be.

Cart before horse. Try talking to your neighbours first and getting to know them. They might want to be more involved in community events, or, for various reasons, they might not - or not be able to. Dont put a note through their doors and ambush them; no one needs another WhatsApp chat in their lives.

We already have local facebook groups for the kind of thing you’re talking about - local events, issues, recommendations etc. I wouldn’t give my phone number to randoms on the street that I don’t know.

FB is enough wouldn't join WA.

we have a street WhatsApp group and it's great. It's generally used for recommendations/ asking for help or to share useful info - and to plan the odd get together

Isn't this what Facebook is for?

I can't think of anything worse than a street WhatsApp. Sorry!

The stuff of nightmares!

the whole village is on fb - the WhatsApp group is fine for a small number of ppl

I wouldn't join a street whatsapp group, not for me at all. Some people would though so I don't think you are doing any harm by sending a note about it. Those who want to join will respond positively and those that don't will ignore.

I guess that depends on how long your street is - ours has over 200 houses!

Ha Ha.
Mumsnet is probably the wrong audience to ask, if you are considering being friendly, helpful, or even just pleasant on a surface level with your neighbours

Yes, we have a street WhatsApp group. It started at the beginning of Covid to see if anyone needed help or support and has flourished into a lovely community who help each other out when we can. New people that have moved in since have also joined.
I don't think I'd have been as keen if you said 'for local activities'.

Ours is used most for
'Can anyone recommend a plumber' or
'Does anyone have a long ladder we could borrow for 10 mins' or
'Does anyone want any tomatoes, I've got more than I can use' or
'I anyone on {insert provider's name} broadband as am thinking of changing and was wondering how reliable it is here' type messages.

YWNBU to push a note through and invite people. It is only an invitation, and everyone has the choice to ignore you or to opt in as they wish.
Even if only 10% join, that is still a connection with some people.

I can't think of anything worse than a street WhatsApp. Sorry!

Why ?
If it is something you aren't interested in, then you wouldn't join. So why would it be a terrible thing ?

I presume in ours, some of the people who are in it have notifications turned off.

I know other people (lots of people, incl my dh) have chosen not to be in it. But it doesn't offend or upset them in any way.