“Mum wants to know if you can spare a cup of sugar please?”

Have always helped neighbours and they helped us. OH unblocked drains, cut hedges, took in frozen goods when their freezer packed up, shared power tools etc. They gave us veg, chocolates, wine, helped with lawn mowing, take in parcels etc. We don't visit and they don't visit us which suits us fine. But we are there for each other if they need help or we do.
It's how it should be. Same here as it was in our last home. It's a nice way to be.

We never have anything to do with our neighbours and never see them. I suppose it is a downside of having a lot of big trees though where we lived previously they would turn up all the time and it became a bit much.

This was life for me too in Devon, our neighbourhood was very close knit and friendly. My mum who had nothing, shared when she did have anything and we borrowed sugar and a shilling for the gas too. The joy on meter man day as we’d get sweets. I don’t think there is any kind of a North/South divide on this or any helpfulness or friendliness. It’s a myth. People were the same wherever you went. Nowadays, I’m friendly with my neighbours as are my children with theirs. Nothing to do with geography.