Editorial: Spirit up in the North is alive and kicking

Craig Cooper, editor of the Northern Advocate

A new survey suggests Kiwis could get out more.

According to the 2015 Sovereign Wellbeing Index, 40 per cent of New Zealanders meet other people socially just once a month.

The index also suggests that we are not close to our communities - only four per cent of people surveyed said they felt a strong connection with their community.

29 countries were surveyed - we came last.

Grant Schofield professor of public health at AUT University, who led the research, says there has been no improvement on the 2013 survey.

Mr Schofield believes the low community connection is a symptom of our sprawling cities - especially Auckland, which are designed around cars - not people.

It has to be asked whether the survey has an urban skew, because your average Northland community would yield a better result I'm sure.

Community spirit is strong in Northland, whether it's Otangarei or Kamo, Raumanga or Kerikeri, Dargaville or Kaikohe.

In fact, the smaller the community, the tighter.

And as far as social occasions go, look no further than your average Saturday sports sideline, where the parents are multi-skilling, watching the kids and catching up with friends.

And communicating face to face - an art that is being lost. Emails, texts, Facebook - they are all great ways to stay in touch, without being in touching distance.

The rewards participants get from sport is well documented. But we shouldn't underestimate the social benefits of sport.

As we speed towards an age in which you can communicate with millions without leaving home, sport will become one of the threads that holds a strong community together, keeping us in touch, keeping us talking ... in person.