Fortunes Of The Family Look Promising For 2000

The traditional close-knit family could be due a comeback in the next millennium, a survey has found.

Social research by MORI, commissioned for tonight's launch of ITV's YEAR OF PROMISE campaign, suggests a population concerned by issues of health and safety, pollution and homelessness, and keen to revive good manners and family contact.

The poll, conducted among 1014 adults across the UK, asked the public to choose, from a list of four, the factor that would most improve their lives in the Year 2000.

Thirty-three per cent said they would like to spend more time at home with their families - the most popular choice.

In second place, at 24 per cent, was 'Finding a new interest for self or family'.

'Establishing better contact with extended family' and 'Giving more time to community or charity projects' both attracted 10 per cent.

The research sets the agenda for ITV's YEAR OF PROMISE - the biggest campaign ever undertaken by a UK broadcaster.

Launched this evening (17 October) with a 75-minute ITV special, the eight-month campaign calls upon the whole land to make their mark on the Year 2000 with a simple, heartfelt promise.

Every promise registered will be held on a special website until the end of 2000, when the register will be printed off and put on public display as a unique archive of a historic time.

Among the promise ideas featured on the show were giving blood regularly, taking an advanced driving course and recording a book for blind people.

Challenges set to companies included making sure old computers are refurbished and passed on to schools or lending their boardroom to charities once a month.

The survey was presented in the show as a special edition of the quiz show Family Fortunes, with celebrity families from Coronation Street and Emmerdale competing to guess the public's response.

Asked to decide what would most improve their neighbourhood, 43 per cent chose improved safety for children and pedestrians. Just seven per cent favoured planting trees and shrubs, whilst 11 per cent chose 'Getting to know the neighbours better'.

On a society-wide level, health and pollution were the highest rating at 27 per cent, with manners just one point behind.

Asked which group most needed our help, 23 per cent chose the homeless - third after elderly people and children at 29 and 25 per cent respectively, and ahead of disabled people at 17 per cent.

Presenter Carol Vorderman said: "The research gives a fascinating insight into what we really feel is important as we approach the next millennium.

"We deliberately asked questions to which there were no wrong answers - all of the factors we put forward were desirable. What's significant is that respondents so clearly favoured some over others."

People can register their promises with the Year of Promise campaign in one of two ways:

• On-line - at www.itv.yearofpromise.co.uk powered by Freeserve.
• Forms - Forms are available from outlets of Barclays, BP, Currys, Dixons, Iceland, The Link, PC World and @jakarta.

Information is also available from:

• Teletext - Turn to ITV Teletext page 108.
• Promise Helpline - Call 0901-201 2000 (calls cost 50p per minute).

Technical details

MORI interviewed a representative sample of 1014 British adults aged 16 and over. Fieldwork was conducted between 16 and 21 September 1999.