Episode 2 Operation Meet the Street

Barrow is the gateway to the Lake District.

It was once the biggest iron and steel centre in the world

and had a flourishing ship-building industry.

Those days may have gone, but it also has another claim to fame.

'It's the home town of Hairy Biker Dave Myers, and that's why I'm here.

'Dave has agreed to help me meet the locals and to get them talking.'

His family have lived in the area for generations

and Dave stayed here until the age of 19.

Having achieved fame through his Hairy Biker series

and other programmes, he returned to his roots with his family.

I came back about ten years ago, which was a soft option for me

because I knew everybody,

I knew I'd settle into the community.

So looking down here, what do you think has changed over the years?

I tell you what hasn't changed, though, James.

This reddish kind of pebbledash pavement.

Yeah, but they're all cracked now and old, a bit like meself.

When I was a kid, the year that this was laid was the year

I got roller-skates for Christmas.

I can remember the smell of drying tarmac

and me rubber wheels going like lightning up the street.

It's things like that are magical.

And, you know, the pavements might be a bit cracked now,

but I'd love to think the community spirit was still here.

-Hello!

-Hello. Hiya.

So what was life like as a kid, growing up here?

Right, the back street was a playground.

Everybody's back yard gate opened onto the back streets.

So the kids are in and out of each other's yards.

I'd spend hours and hours on my bicycle,

going to the bottom to the top of the back street.

As the years went on, I was allowed to venture further.

Well, this is it. I think this is your old house.

Gosh, yeah. It's been painted.

-Has it?

-88, yeah.

-What's changed, then?

I remember once when my father painted this bright green

and he sat up there in bed and there was two old ladies who were here

and they were just basically explaining

what a blooming awful colour they thought he'd painted the house.

And he was just...

He was knocking on the window. He was absolutely furious.

-So did you know everybody around here?

-Pretty much, yes.

I mean, there was an old lady who lived on the road, Mrs Morgan.

Lived next door.

And me mum would always, on baking day, you know,

give her a cake or a loaf.

Then there was the Baines boys over there.

They had the chip shop, you see, so that was a certain currency,

you know? They owned the chipper.

And of course, there were the corner shops. Newby's, Sturgeon's...

You get the sense that there was a huge sense of community here.

So was there corner shops on each of these corners, then, more or less?

Yeah, and you can kind of see the scars,

like where they've got modern brick there.

That's where the shop windows have been bricked in,

probably in the 1970s.

Do you think the community's kind of divided and split because of jobs?

Cos now people are having to travel further afield to get more work.

So they're not around as much as they used to be.

I personally think it's changing times.

Barrow had a really bad time in the '90s with unemployment.

It's bounced back, you know, pretty well.

Always has been an element of poverty in the town.

It's a working-class town.

Well, I'm hoping that today we can gather some of the community

that are around together and improve things for the better.

I want to create an event similar to what we did in Wolverhampton,

like a street party,

and Dave is the perfect person to get the local community behind it.

-You've got a few doors to knock on.

-Yeah.

I've got a few people to see,

so you go that way and I'm going to go that way.

-All right, James.

-And we'll join for fish and chips later.

-Excellent.

-Hello.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Pleased to meet you, too.

Hello, Betty. It's lovely to meet you.

-I used to be your neighbour years ago.

-You did?

I did, just over there.

This was the first community I knew, and we're wondering,

-is it the same as it used to be?

-No.

-You don't know your neighbours like you used to.

-Really?

-Yeah.

Every New Year's Eve,

the whole of the street used to go to a party at the local club.

But there's none of that now, really.

I only know about six people up this street.

We're doing a thing later on. It's about communities.

We're going to have a bit of a street party.

-Are you?

-Between 4pm and 6pm.

-We've got James Martin coming.

-Oh, well.

-You only know six people in the street.

-Yeah.

Maybe at the end of this, if you come, you might know a dozen.

-Didn't this house used to be a corner shop?

-That's right, yes.

-Mrs Sturgeon's.

-That's right. Yes, yes.

Four-and-a-half years we had it as a shop,

then we closed it down and made it into a big house.

It's a fact of life that communities change,

but sometimes people get left behind.

Dorothy has lost her husband and daughter and, four years ago,

her only son died suddenly, leaving Dorothy in the house on her own.

And how have you been coping since then? Because...

I'm not coping, to be honest. Since he went, I just can't cope.

Well, I'm trying to.

I don't have cleaners or anything.

I do everything myself. I do all my own washing.

But it's loneliness.

But it seems to me that you've always had people around you.

Yeah, I have. I've always mixed.

Then, over the last, well,

since four years ago when your son passed away...

That's been it. Yes.

-It's been...

-Lonely.

Dorothy's isolation is compounded by her failing eyesight.

She has a tumour in her left eye and is partially blind in her right.

With the loss of her family, she is increasingly isolated

and finds that there is no-one she can turn to,

even for an occasional chat.

I stand at my front door.

I don't see anybody going for three or four days, or more sometimes,

and I don't see a soul.

When do you find it difficult?

I find it difficult when I'm going up town,

because with having only the one eye and that...

And the other eye is not really perfect.

And you think you're somewhere

and you find out you're not, you know?

It's strange, it's just odd things that are strange, really.

You find it difficult to get around because you can't see?

I can't see properly.

I can see silhouettes.

I can't go on the bus or anything like that.

And most of my friends who I used to go around and see and all that,

they've all got... a lot of...Alzheimer's.

So they're not, you know, they're not the same people they used to be.

Despite all of her problems,

Dorothy still manages to keep a smile on her face.

I've had a wonderful life. I've...

It's only now at old age,

which is something nobody can run away from, can they?

I know we'd like to, but we can't.

And you find out it's a very lonely life.

Dorothy is such great company and I can't help but feel

there are people in the area who would love to spend time with her.

Back on the street, and Dave has found a new friend.

The community shop's been here since he lived in the area.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hello, I'm Dave.

-Pleased to meet you. I'm Pauline.

-Pleased to meet you, Pauline.

-Thank you.

By heck, this has changed.

Do you know, I used to have a paper round here when it was Watts,

-the newsagent's.

-Oh, yes.

-What's happening now?

Well, Mr Watts retired, so the community took it over.

And we're running it as a community shop and a community centre.

We run a community association, which helps people.

Then we have a youth club.

Anything that people have got problems,

if they can't solve them, they normally get sent down here.

"Go and see Pauline, she'll sort it for you."

-Pauline, I've got a favour to ask.

-What?

I've got James Martin coming to the town.

We want to get together and have a bit of a street party,

just to bring people together. I wondered if you'd help us.

Yes, certainly, I would.

If it's anything to do with community, I will be the helper.

-4pm this afternoon, it's a date.

-Thank you very much.

-Thanks, Pauline. See you later.

-Bye.

-It's a date!

For most people, loneliness is about relationships they've lost.

But for some people, it's about relationships they've never found.

Brian, a writer, is 73 and for his entire adult life, he's lived alone.

DOORBELL RINGS

-Mr Martin, nice to meet you.

-Hello there, Brian. Nice to meet you.

-You all right?

-OK.

-Good.

Now, tell me about you. Have you met somebody in your life?

Have you ever been married? Kids?

I show willing. I try now and again.

But I'm not the guy who gets the girl.

I've never been married.

I know that, throughout my life,

I've always been in recurring situations

where I find myself staring at a piece of paper and asking,

"Why am I so alone all the time?

"Why does it always end up with me

"being by myself, alone,

"..again?"

And it feels like fate, doom, or whatever.

Strange.

The feeling that...

you can't communicate with people

or that you have difficulty with it.

It can feel like a kind of self-created prison.

When you fully realise, as if for the first time,

that you are alone...

..and it's a terrifying feeling.

Sat in here, you've just got your seat, your fireplace,

your books around you.

It's just you.

You have to make the best of it and you can do this in various ways -

by putting on a Byronic attitude

and giving two fingers to the rest of the world and...

"..Go to hell, rest of the world."

When was the last time you cooked something for yourself

that wasn't out of a packet?

Well, we're talking...

We'd have to go back into ancient history, really.

I can't remember.

How would you feel if I cooked something for you

that I think you could easily do at home?

-Yeah.

-Would you like that?

-Yeah.

Well, by all means.

Something that's not difficult, takes probably ten minutes to make.

I never refuse help.

After looking in Brian's kitchen,

I realise that his diet is even worse than I feared.

So after a bit of shopping, it's time to expand his taste buds.

So, Brian, I'm going to make you something that hopefully will

-convince you that it's worth your while.

-Tell me all about it.

-So I bought you a chopping board.

-Yeah.

-I've got you a little blender,

so everything you can make in this little blender.

-It's a really simple little soup.

-I've never used a blender before.

Well, you've got one now. So, onion first of all.

What do you normally do for soup? Out of a tin or a packet?

Out of a tin, everything out of a tin.

Chop up the onion. Ready?

I'm going to use butternut squash for this.

-Have you ever tasted this stuff?

-What's that?

-Butternut squash.

-No, no, I haven't.

-It's brilliant.

Now, the secret with this is, you can just use whatever you want.

You can have carrots, you can have potato, you can have leeks.

All you need to do is get some water...

..a bit of water...

..and bring this to the boil.

I've been home alone for an evening

and all I can be bothered to do is eat the beans out of a tin.

I mean, not every time, but that has happened.

And if someone's coming round,

I'll probably make a bit of an effort with a pie crust.

And I think that sort of mind-set,

"I only deserve baked beans out of a tin,

"but if my friend comes around, I'll make something nicer,"

is that we don't necessarily value ourselves, cos we are taught that,

you know, we put ourselves last and we must be nice to other people.

But really, we really should make the effort to look after ourselves.

Right, we're nearly there.

Bit of butter in there.

A touch of cream.

-Yes.

-And all we do now is just stick it in there.

Also, once you've made it, you could stick it in the freezer,

pop it in the fridge.

Tell me what you think.

Oh, yes.

-Yes, I like that.

-You like that?

-Mm-hm.

-That's better than any ready-made meal.

-Yeah.

It's not bad, that, is it?

Brian is such an intriguing and interesting guy to speak to,

but like many people his age, he's almost trapped in a little world

and the world is getting smaller and smaller.

He clearly doesn't look after himself enough.

Whether he'll accept the help that I'm hopefully going to try

and find for him is another matter.

I really want Brian to come to the street party later

so I can introduce him to some other locals.

But all that hinges on how well Dave is doing on the street.

-So how's it been going?

-It's been amazing, actually.

-I would say it's been like a Jacuzzi of nostalgia.

-Really?

Yeah. You know, it is wonderful.

And what I have found when I've been knocking on people's doors,

that the people are there, the community spirit is there.

The people that I grew up with are there.

But certain things aren't. Times have changed.

So what's the plan? Have you come up with a plan?

People around here are really friendly.

All it takes is a little bit of a push, a little bit of love,

to get people together.

And I think we can forge relationships

that will last for a long time.

-But I have a secret weapon, James.

-What's that, then?

-My mate, Pauline.

-Pauline! How are you doing, Pauline?

-Pleased to meet you, James.

-Nice to meet you.

-So you live around here, then?

-Yes, I do.

I live right next door to our community centre now.

She does more than just live here, James.

-You've got an amazing place.

-Thank you.

So tell me about the community centre, then.

The people that come in for help from us

can be from a baby right up till 80, 90.

And if they just want to talk or a friendly face,

I'm there for them.

Pauline is a great asset to this community,

so I'm really pleased to have her involvement in our street party.

-How many people have you got planned...coming?

-Hopefully loads.

-Yeah, we hope so.

-Yeah.

-So we're going to do it right here?

-Yeah, why not?

-OK.

I've met a wonderful, wonderful person yesterday.

-It's very difficult for her to...

-Say she needs help, yes.

But when we leave here today,

I'd really like you to keep an eye on her.

I will try and look after her, yes.

But it's amazing what you can do

with a hot dinner and a friendly hello.

It's amazing the change you can make to people's lives.

-So we've got a lot to do.

-We certainly have.

-Fillings, sandwiches, buttering...

-Bunting.

-Yeah, bunting.

You're in charge of bunting, chairs and tables.

Now that we've got a plan for our event, Dave has gone out and about

to drum up more support and get the community buzzing.

-Hello, I'm Dave.

-Hiya.

-Hiya.

-I'm Kerry and Oliver.

-Hello, Oliver.

-Hello.

Unsurprisingly, one of the residents even remembers Dave's family.

-Hello.

-Hello, again.

-Hello, nice to see you.

-And you.

-My sister used to live opposite you.

-What was her name?

-She was called Campbell, Mrs Campbell.

-Campbell.

-She used to live in number 75.

-Oh, right!

Dave's still got a lot of neighbours to meet.

I really want there to be a good turnout, young and old.

And we're going to have a bit of a party, a street party, at 4pm.

Like we used to do in the old days here.

It's like speed-dating, but for neighbours.

-Speed-dating for neighbours?

-Yeah. Fancy coming?

-Are we invited?

-Yeah, of course you are.

-Shall we go? Shall we go speed-dating?

-Right, I'll see you at four o'clock.

-Right, then, see you later.

-Thank you. Bye, Oliver!

-Say bye-bye.

It looks like Dave's getting a great response for our get-together.

But there's one resident I particularly want to invite.

Since meeting Dorothy last night, I've been thinking about her

and about her situation and what I can do to help, really,

if there's anything I can do to help.

So I've gone to the supermarket, I've got a few bits and pieces,

cos clearly she's not, in my opinion, not looking after herself

as much as she should do, in terms of her health.

So I think we need to have a chat.

Well, I've got you a few bits and pieces, all right?

-So I've got you some bananas, a few grapes, is that all right?

-Oh, yes.

-Now, what have you eaten today? Have you eaten anything?

-Yes.

I had a jelly with fruit in it.

-Jelly with fruit for breakfast?

-For breakfast.

And I've have had a piece of brown bread with butter on,

you might know, and...

What have you got planned for supper tonight?

Well, I had a tin of soup for my dinner.

-You mentioned meals on wheels once yesterday...

-No.

-Would you do this?

-No.

-Why not?

I don't like meals on wheels. I don't want a lot of fuss.

-Yeah?

-And I told you that yesterday.

I like my own independence.

That's why I will not have a cleaner or anybody to do a lot for me.

-But it's more company than anything.

-OK.

I feel great whenever I've got company in the house.

I'm offering to help, OK?

And there's a person who lives on this street

that would like to meet you.

-Is that all right?

-Yes, all right.

-I'll swap you.

You do that for me and I'll give you the grapes and the biscuits.

-Thank you very much.

-Is that a deal?

-Oh, that's a deal, oh, yes.

Having met somebody like Dorothy,

I can really see it in my grandparents, what they were like,

how it can be really cruel sometimes when you get older

and how holding on for that last bit of independence is so crucial.

And how difficult it is to ask people for help.

And it's almost...

You don't want to ask people for help

because you put this pretence that everything's fine,

when really, clearly, it isn't fine and it's not until you sort of

get beyond the persona, the front, where you actually realise

how much help often the elderly really need.

It's four o'clock, the cakes are laid out,

the sandwiches have been made

and everything is coming together.

People have started to arrive already.

We've got bunting up, we've got food and we've got Pauline!

-Hey up, Pauline.

-Hiya, Dave. You all right?

-Yes. James been busy?

Oh, yeah, very busy.

HE LAUGHS

I've got a job for you now. Could you help move that table?

-Yeah, of course I will.

-Thank you.

When was the last time we had a street party here?

The last time was the Jubilee.

So are we ready for the people?

-I think so.

-Because this is what it's all about, people.

-It is all about the people.

-And the community.

LAUGHTER

It really looks like Dave and Pauline have pulled it off.

People are turning up and chatting.

Everyone's packed into the community centre and the street outside.

'The only thing left is for Dave to officially open the event.'

Well, welcome, everybody, to our street party.

Wouldn't it be lovely if this happened more often?

-Yes!

-Yes!

-Things have changed around this area

but they haven't changed that much,

and it's lovely to see everybody here.

Sit down, have a bit of nice food,

a good chat, and meet your neighbours and meet your community.

There's not much can be better, but thank you so much, so get stuck in.

Thank you.

As everyone tucks into their food, I need to make introductions.

-Rosie, you work with Age UK.

-Yeah, that's right, here in Barrow.

Tell me about what they do.

The kind of things that we do, especially the project I work in,

it's called the Respectability Project.

So we do various different activities

but one of the main things we do is cooking at the centre.

I've got the prime person for you.

He's very, very proud. He's called Brian.

I want you to have a chat with him.

-No problem.

-And see if we can get him involved

-in a cooking class at least or just something.

-Oh, definitely.

-All right?

-Definitely. I'd be happy to do that.

-Good.

-Brian.

-Mmm?

-This is Rosie.

-I want you to meet Rosie. Have a seat there, Rosie.

-Hi, Brian.

-Hello again.

-She's going to have a chat to you about certain things

that may be of help to you. Is that all right?

So, Brian, I'm from Age UK and what we do there is,

we do cooking classes, cooking on a budget and cooking for one

and really easy but healthy recipes that aren't going to break the bank.

-Yeah.

-And we do that with you as well.

And judging from the way I was with James this morning,

I need some lessons in cookery.

It's not just Brian who is meeting new people.

-We've never met, have we?

-We haven't met, no.

We live in the same street but we haven't met.

-And you've got seven kids.

-And I've got seven kids.

-And I've got one.

These two gentlemen are musicians.

-Hi.

-Hello.

-All right?

Paul, would you be interested in doing some volunteering with us,

-with our young people?

-Absolutely, yeah. I play guitar,

sing, I could teach children, or any ages, really, how to play.

That's going to get people together, the community, music,

-definitely. 100%.

-That'd be good.

-That'd be excellent, wouldn't it?

-All right? Can you hear everybody?

-Yes.

'And finally, the guest of honour makes her entrance.'

Don't sit down yet. Now sit down.

You've got Pauline in front of you, all right?

-And I think you mightn't know, but you know me.

-Eh?

-That's what he just said.

-I do know you from years ago.

I'm going to leave you two in peace

-and I'll catch up with you in a minute.

-All right.

'There's nothing left to do but leave those two at it.'

Yes. Yes.

And even Brian has come out of his shell.

Have you come on your own?

-I was chauffeured here.

-Oh!

You are a celeb guest, aren't you?

'I didn't know what was going to happen at all.'

As it happens, I've enjoyed it.

And yeah, and you've got me out of myself,

out of my house, at any rate, and you've got me all socialised.

Well, Dad was like that.

My dad used to sit in and watch television 24 hours a day

and he used to get a bit fed up.

You link with mine.

It seems Pauline isn't the only person who remembers Dorothy.

Young lady coming through!

Friends she's lost contact with over time are keen to be reacquainted

for a good natter.

Betty, I've got a lady coming to see you that you know very, very well.

THEY LAUGH

I'm going to try and get her to come in the community centre,

so that she feels wanted.

You're looking good.

I don't feel too bad but I'm not...

-You're not fit for running yet.

-No.

-No.

-I'll enter next year's marathon.

Like me!

'I've had a lovely time, yes, and I've met with friends - these two,'

I've always been friends with them, really great,

-we have had some fun, haven't we?

-Yes.

-Yes.

And in the last few days, I'm not kidding you,

I've been on top of the world.

I really have enjoyed it all.

-My tipple's Bailey's.

-Oh, yes.

This is what happens when you let a Hairy Biker loose onto the street.

PEOPLE CHEER

APPLAUSE

The aim for today is to create a lasting impact here

and it's looking good so far.

Just before the bagpipes start up again,

though, I think it's time for me to leave.

The following week, Brian made his first trip to his cookery class.

-Hello.

-Hi, Brian.

-You ready to do some cooking?

-Yeah.

-Brilliant.

I'll take you through now to come and meet them.

Hi, everyone, this is Brian. He's going to be joining the group.

-There we go.

-I'm not a good truster of people

but they seem to be well-intentioned and...

..I'll go along with what... their suggestions from now on

and take what help there is and be grateful for it.

-There and just move that down there.

-Yes.

-And that will just create a nice little pile in there.

-Mm-hm.

The cooking, which will presumably help me physically

and mentally, being with people, can't be bad.

That should help me.

Surprising how much comes out of it, isn't it?

I always think of myself as being a bit shy but I need

a bit of a push into society and that's what been happening to me.

I felt a bit shaky at first but it's been a positive experience.

I liked it.

So you're going to be making this for yourself at home, are you?

That's the idea, yeah.

I should be...well, certainly try to think

about making a fish pie at home.

I've got a recipe and so there's no excuse.

Yes. Oh, yes, that's real food.

-How's it going?

-Nice.

-You like it?

-Yes.

-Good.

Did you help make it?

-Well, I mashed the potatoes.

-Made a very good job of it.

But it's not just Brian who's embraced a change in life.

DOG BARKS

Dorothy now has an open invitation to go to the community centre

to see her friends whenever she chooses.

-Just give me your stick...

-Oh, it was lovely to see them.

I says, "I hadn't seen them for a year."

SHE LAUGHS

I'm thinking, "Now, what's that veg?"

I can't see the colour of it.

I thought it could be part of the tablecloth.

Now we know who Dorothy is, we'll be getting her involved in a lot

more things. She's going to be one of the crew.

And hopefully we can get her involved in all the events,

like our Christmas bingo party.

Dorothy would fit in well with the lot of us.

She won't be left on her own no more.

It's made me feel an awful lot better.

We just have a giggle and that makes it.

Walks all the way round

and gets in the side without the steering wheel on it.

I've got to be honest, I've learnt a lot in Barrow.

Sometimes the odd meal or two, a little bit of conversation

can bring a spark back into people's lives.