​Help those who are lonely – this week and beyond

This week is the fourth National Loneliness Awareness Week, to raise awareness of loneliness and encourage people to speak about it openly.

Loneliness and social isolation are some of the biggest challenges faced by our society and local communities. Anyone can be affected, perhaps due to a change in personal circumstances or the impact of external events – such as the current Coronavirus pandemic.

Shielding requirements and social distancing restrictions have meant that many usual interactions have been unavailable and people of all ages have not been able to meet together as freely or frequently as before.

In recent weeks there has been an amazing community response to support local people. Volunteers across the borough have been providing means of contact and support, including the Bury Voluntary Community and Faith Alliance (VCFA) who have recruited hundreds of people; existing organisations who have reached out into their local neighbourhoods; and individuals who have supported neighbours.

Council staff and volunteers supporting Bury’s Community Hubs have been supporting thousands of residents across the borough who haven’t been able to socialise and interact as before. Initially focused on ensuring food and medication supplies were collected/delivered, it has expanded to provide befriending and welfare calls on individuals, including some of the most vulnerable residents in the borough. Anyone feeling lonely and without their usual connections are encouraged to contact the Bury Community Hubs on 0161 253 5353 – which is open from 9am until 5pm, seven days a week.

In addition, The Beacon Service, Bury’s Social Prescribing Team, have a team of link workers which connect individuals to services including befriending and are available on 0161 518 5550.

Age UK’s Keeping in Touch Service is also available if you are missing a regular conversation and can be contacted Monday to Friday, 10am-2pm on 0161 763 9030.

If you are worried about someone who is lonely you can play your part:

• Phone friends, family members or work colleagues, who you think may be lonely; or get creative and send them a letter or artwork to show you’re thinking of them

• Smile, wave or chat from a safe distance with a neighbour and those in your local community.
• Become a volunteer to carry out befriending calls - https://www.buryvcfa.org.uk/volunteering/

Councillor Andrea Simpson, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Jo Cox, before her death, set up the Loneliness Commission – ‘We have more in common than divides us’. It is about starting a conversation to ensure the future is one of connection, kindness and community not isolation, separation and loneliness. I encourage others to take the Loneliness Pledge as I do now.”

The loneliness pledge:

I want a future where people feel free to talk about loneliness without embarrassment or fear of being judged. I pledge to have an open conversation about loneliness. I pledge to continue to grow my understanding of loneliness.

Cllr Simpson added: “While this week is Loneliness Awareness Week, our focus extends far beyond the week. Coronavirus has had a major impact on life in Bury but we are committed to this work and have started to plan again to ensure that we can all come back stronger and build back better. We will do this together in a partnership approach to reducing loneliness and social isolation in Bury and everybody will have a part to play in this.”

The Marmadale Trust has a host of information as part of its programme this year, ‘One Less Lonely Voice’ - taking the ‘one’ out of loneliness, to signify one less lonely voice.

Their toolkit provides a wealth of resources and ideas in how to get involved including:

• Post about loneliness on your social media to allow a better understanding of lived experiences using the hashtag #LetsTalkLoneliness
• Increase your understanding of loneliness and help others feel more connected – more information available at https://marmaladetrust.org/law-resources/
• Take and share the Loneliness Pledge.

In addition, The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment is supporting Loneliness Awareness Week by encouraging people to play a game online with friends and family for an hour during their Play and Talk Weekend (20-21 June) - https://www.askaboutgames.com/playandtalk/

Playing games online, be it a quiz, word game or video game, is a great way to spend quality time with others based on a mutual interest, as experienced in Bury by local residents who have been using Discord software to stay connected in recent weeks, particular young gamers with SEN.

Further information and support is available through:

• UK Advice Line – 0800 678 1602 (every day, 8am-7pm)

• Silver Line – 0800 470 8090 (every day, 24 hours)
• Look online at https://theburydirectory.co.uk for advice and information

ENDS

Press release issued: 19 June 2020.