How to get involved in your community, restore your faith in humanity and make new friends

Wouldn’t it be great if you had a friend or a next door neighbour who could come to the rescue when you need a spare pair of hands to help you move some furniture or help you bake a cake for a special birthday?

A new website is launching in Manchester with the simple aim of bringing back community spirit in a digital society by putting people in touch with others when they need a bit of help or advice.

Helpfulpeeps is the tech era’s answer to a community noticeboard, allowing people to post requests and receive help in return, with no need for payment or exchange.

Since launching in Bristol last year, it has attracted 100,000 members from cities across the UK willing to share their time, skills and knowledge with others.

The simple ethos is this: “Ask for help when you want it and give help to others when they need it.”

And it’s not just for odd jobs. Helpful peeps can also be used for all sorts of things including asking questions, forming activity clubs in your local area and discovering new skills.

“It’s a fantastic way to get involved in your community, restore your faith in humanity and make new friends,” says co-founder Saf Nazeer.

All you need to do is sign up and post your request on the noticeboard. Helpful people in your area can then respond by sending you a private message.

Once you’re signed up, you can also start earning karma points which act as social currency and help boost your profile on the site. They offer members an incentive to help others beyond simple goodwill.

And the best thing about it is that it’s free to use and always will be. So why not give it a go? Helpfulpeeps.