People are using rainbows and traffic light cards to communicate with their neighbours in lockdown

Manchester residents have started to come up with some genius ways to communicate with their neighbours during the coronavirus lockdown.

People have been putting hand-drawn rainbows and traffic light cards in their windows to spread positivity with one another and to communicate whether they need any help from those who live close by.

Just because we are self isolating doesn’t mean we can’t share some love. Be kind, stay safe 🌈💓 #Day8 #rainbow #ancoats #manchester pic.twitter.com/H9lNNBg5nx

— Solange (@SendVibes) March 23, 2020

The use of green and red traffic light cards has started to be adopted by some elderly and high-risk neighbours to let those on their street know how they are getting on.

Some people have been placing green cards to signal that they are fine and don’t need any assistance, whilst others have been using red cards to ask for help.

This has led to local communities reaching out to those in need to provide support with things like medical needs, shopping, transport and even dog walking.

The traffic light system seems to have originated in North Yorkshire, with residents praised for inventing the simple but effective communication system.

It was first spotted by a Twitter user Bethany Crompton, who shared an image to her account on the weekend. The idea has since been shared over 28,000 times online and has since been adopted by people across the country.

At home the whole street has added green paper to their windows. If it changes to red it’s means they require assistance, shopping, medication or transport. THIS IS AMAZING 💚 #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/bI6uVe6UDi

— Beth Crompton (@bethanycrompto2) March 18, 2020

Elsewhere, families have been painting rainbows to spread messages of hope during the pandemic.

As people take their daily walks, they have been sharing them online with messages of positivity and solidarity.

Not only is it proving a great way to entertain the kids, but the rainbows serve as a small reminder that we are all in this together. The idea’s become so popular, everyone’s getting involved.

One Manchester mum currently self-isolating with symptoms created her own rainbow this week to spread love across the city.

One it, she wrote: “A rainbow of hope, stay safe everyone. Isolating from the coronavirus… but not from the world! Take care.”

At one end of the rainbow is a pot labelled ‘health’, at the other a pot labelled ‘happiness’, serving to remind us what really matters in these trying times. The clouds above are labelled ‘strength’ and ‘courage’.

Decided to make my whole porch into a rainbow.#Moston #rainbowsinwindows #Rainbow #lockdown #CoronavirusLockdown #Manchester #Smile pic.twitter.com/iL4XxnBs4Y

— Nikki Rostron (@Nikki_hartley86) March 25, 2020

Others in Manchester have gone even further, with one woman turning her whole porch into a rainbow using a mixture of flowers, paper stars and streamers.

In times like these, it’s the little things that get us by.

Keep spreading the love, Manchester.