About Us
Welcome to Being Neighbourly, an ethical business that serves three groups: Individuals, Charities & NGOs and Businesses. We add value to each of these groups through our events, community groups, business membership, and services.
We run Being Neighbourly, Central & Western, a Facebook group that was set up in March 2023 for people living on The Peak, in Mid-levels Central, Mid-levels West, Central, Sheung Wan, Sai Ying Pun and Western; and since the beginning of 2024, Being Neighbourly, Wan Chai & Eastern and Being Neighbourly, Southside.
Being Neighbourly offers its Individual, Charity & NGO and paying Business members a space to get to know their neighbours with conversations that promote hope, opportunity and purposeful living. Where others go low, we go high.
Being Neighbourly, Hong Kong was founded on the success of the Buy Nothing project we rolled out across Hong Kong (at the time of writing, except Lamma and Southside) to serve the Buy Nothing community in new ways. (Learn about the Buy Nothing Project here)
We are all stakeholders in our community and encourage Being Neighbourly members to make community work for them!
Community
works when we participate. When we take action together, we can be the change we want to see. Be hopeful about what each of you can do. Within you lies the power to move mountains!
NICOLE CHABOT
Founder, Being Neighbourly Ltd
The Founder
Nicole Chabot is a business owner, journalist and author of books for which she received Hong Kong Arts Development Council funding and about which she spoke at the Hong Kong Book Fair and Business of Design Week. She holds a bachelor degree in English Studies and master degrees in marketing and counselling.
In recent years, Nicole has become enamoured with technology and fascinated by online communities and social media, founding and running several pages and groups on Facebook. These have included numerous Buy Nothing gift economies across Hong Kong to reduce, reuse and recycle; and, through her limited company, Being Neighbourly, Hong Kong, several eponymous community groups, which advocate hyper-local personal, business and charity interactions.
Now in her 40s, Nicole feels she is finally achieving ‘Ikigai’ with a harmony between what she’s good at, what she loves, what the world needs and what she can be paid for; and loves drawing on her diverse repertoire of skills every day.
Nicole is a Hong Kong Eurasian who was born in the UK, where she was mostly educated, though her Chinese family has a long history in Hong Kong. She lives with her Dutch architect husband and young daughter in Mid-levels, Hong Kong.
“Being Neighbourly provides the community with valuable information and support that is crucial at this juncture for Hong Kong residents. I’m grateful to have connected with people through this network and have learned a great deal from the group.”
BENNY LUI
“The online hub Being Neighbourly’ is gradually strengthening the sense of community and cohesion among residents of its respective districts. The group also helps us to see the unique differences between neighbourhoods and their east-west aspects. Let’s connect and foster community to make our home a better one for everyone!”
LAM OSHA
“I first got to know Being Neighbourly after joining the Buy Nothing group. I love the feeling of community both groups have given me. Now that I have moved out of the catchment area for the Buy Nothing group, the Being Neighbourly group is like a lifeline for me. I have gotten great tips and advice from the group members. Even though I now live in Pokfulam, my heart remains in Mid-levels.
DOREEN JAEGER-SOONG
“I like the fact that the Being Neighbourly group does exactly what it says: Helping and supporting each other like good neighbours used to do in the smaller villages I grew up in. Everybody looks out for each other, their kids, their pets and their property and helps out when needed. Being Neighbourly is bringing a small-town vibe to the huge metropole that is Hong Kong.”
MARLIES GERRITSEN-FEENSTRA
“It’s lovely to see neighbours connecting on BN. You can feel the community spirit and the almost daily new discoveries are great too – all the recommendations, competitions and meet ups.”
RENATA PAWLAK
“As I’ve left Hong Kong I’m starting to purge my HK FB groups. Thank you so much to my wonderful neighbors and friends for all the advice, shares, and friendship. A huge thank you to Nicole for your fantastic efforts to bring Buy Nothing and Being Neighbourly to Hong Kong. It has been a pleasure to know you all, and I’ll miss these groups and their members very much!”