The Power of the Neighborhood: Bert Peters

Bert is 71 years old and lives with his wife in an apartment they had dreamed of for years as a place to enjoy their retirement. After living in various parts of Zoetermeer—including Rokkeveen, Seghwaert, and Oosterheem—and spending a short time in Doetinchem, they returned to the city that feels like home to them.

Volunteer work has been a constant thread throughout Bert’s life. He has been helping others since he was 16. Over the years, he has done so in various ways: from coaching a soccer team and founding a youth division of a political party to chairing a homeowners’ association during the construction freeze in Oosterheem around the turn of the century.

Bert is still very active today. Through Humanitas, he visits people who have few social contacts. He also helps residents of the De Rozentuin assisted living facility with activities such as bingo, walks, and the four-day wheelchair walk. Since April 2025, he has served as president of the tenants’ association for his apartment complex.

In that role, he also took the initiative to start a cleanup team. Together with seven fellow residents, he makes a monthly round through the complex and the surrounding area to pick up litter. The necessary supplies were provided by Stadsbeheer. The team’s motto is simple but powerful: “Don’t get annoyed—just pick it up.”

Bert really enjoys living in Rokkeveen. He appreciates the neat surroundings, the amenities within walking distance, and the view of the water tower. At the same time, he also sees a challenge. In his view, the sense of community among residents could be stronger. He gets along well with his immediate neighbors, but he’s noticed that people are increasingly living their lives without really connecting with one another.

If he could make one wish for the neighborhood, it would be for more neighborly spirit: looking out for one another, knowing who your neighbors are, and being there when needed.

What can we learn from this?

As a Neighborhood Coordinator, this story touches on something that is becoming increasingly important to me. We live in a time when we often rely on organizations or the government when something goes wrong. But a strong and resilient neighborhood actually starts right at home.

In the event of a power outage, extreme weather, or another unexpected situation, it’s often the people on your street, in your apartment complex, or in your neighborhood who are the first to be able to help one another. That’s when it helps if you know each other, know who might need a little extra help, and aren’t afraid to knock on your neighbors’ doors.

Bert’s efforts show that getting involved doesn’t always have to be a big or complicated undertaking. Striking up a conversation, helping someone out, working together to keep the neighborhood clean, or starting an initiative—it’s precisely these small things that build trust and foster connections.

That’s why his story isn’t just a wonderful example of volunteer work, but also an invitation to all of us. Let’s invest in the relationships around us, look out for one another, and work together to build a neighborhood where people can count on each other.

Ultimately, the strength of the neighborhood lies in the people who live there, because together we make up the neighborhood, and every resident can make a difference.