Author: Mary O'Donnell These poems were submitted during Loneliness Awareness Week 2026, as part of the theme Giving Loneliness a Voice. Leopards Last night I saw the two of us sisters. We wore leopard-patterned coats, laughed like we did occasionally when I visited or she came here. My hair was yellow, hers pink, a breaking dawn on the horizon. We smoked and chatted as if nothing had changed. But a hinged bridge between us kept her in a cage. She chose to stay, blinking as i

Loneliness is like a mantle Which falls upon the old. It soon becomes a curtain To hide them from the fold. In a cluttered room she sits alone, Her Bible is her friend, Remembering brighter days She thought would never end. The winter nights are dark and long As the daylight quickly fades. It’s time to close the shutters And pull down all the shades. It’s time to think of supper, But nothing comes to mind. She has a dish of rice and veg From a neighbour who’s so kind. Her fri

Loneliness Awareness Week, June 15 to 21, was created a decade ago by Marmalade Trust, a UK charity, and is a global campaign dedicated to raising awareness about loneliness and how it can affect mental and physical wellbeing. This annual global event is intended to inspire conversations about loneliness, reduce stigma around it, and promote connection activities happening across the world. Former US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, states “The ultimate solution to loneliness l

Sarah Louise is the founder of Love Squared, a children’s mental health charity running a number of services for children who because of often intersectional mental health and special educational needs/ neurodivergence can be disproportionately isolated. After the covid pandemic, when thousands of children didn’t return to school, politicians, think tanks and commissioners started to talk about “ghost children”. The chair of the Educational Select Committee at the time argue

This June, from 15 to 21 June 2026, Girls Who Walk Bristol is taking part in Loneliness Awareness Week, a global campaign hosted by leading loneliness charity Marmalade Trust. I’m Orla, the founder of Girls Who Walk Bristol. The group began back in August 2023 in response to a callout for fellow leaders of new groups from a larger Girls Who Walk community. We’ve been walking ever since! The group operates as a space for women to come together, whether they are lifelong reside

A guest post by COHO for Loneliness Awareness Week 2026 When our founder Vann Vogstad left university and moved into a house share, he knew absolutely nothing about the people he'd be living with. As it turned out, they were great. He made friends who are still in his life today. But he was acutely aware that it could have gone the other way, and for a lot of people, it does. That experience became the seed of COHO. Not just a property platform, but something with a specific

Peter Samuel is an aspiring communications professional from London. After losing his dad to pancreatic cancer in August 2025, his grief led him to reflect more deeply on life, loneliness and identity after loss. He enjoys writing and shared his story in the hope that others navigating bereavement feel understood and less alone. 07:57, 9th August 2025. After 20 months of ferocious battle with pancreatic cancer, I watch my dad take his last breath, a sight ingrained in my memo

Guest blog post by Amy Bussey, Head of Insight & Innovation at Ygam Loneliness is not just a feeling. For many young people growing up in the digital world, it's part of a wider story around mental health, coping mechanisms, escapism, and the pressure of wider structural conditions. When those conditions intersect with the pervasive availability of gambling products, vulnerability compounds, and so does the harms that follow. Understanding that intersection is central to wh

Guest blog by Iva Dragostinova is a counsellor based in the UK, working with themes of identity, belonging and intersectionality. Her work is shaped by her own experience of growing up between cultures and countries. Loneliness is not always what it looks like. We picture it as a person sitting alone at a table. An empty chair. A phone that doesn't ring. But some of the loneliest moments of my life happened in rooms full of people. I know this because I have lived it. More t

Guest blog by: Rachael is a freelance Communications Consultant and member of Bringing Us Together's 'Doing It Solo' project. She is also a solo parent and has felt the depth of loneliness when parenting a child who shows up differently in the world, and the difference that community can make. This June, from 15th to 21st, we’re taking the time to share our experiences of loneliness and isolation for Loneliness Awareness Week, a global campaign hosted by leading loneliness ch

Guest blog by Loop, a platform designed to help people connect through real-life meet-ups. Loop supports both 1:1 and group activities, making it easier for people to discover events, meet others and feel more confident showing up. Loneliness Awareness Week (15th–21st June) led by Marmalade Trust, is a national campaign focused on reducing stigma, encouraging open conversations around loneliness and helping people feel more connected through community-led activity. Now in its

Guest blog by Ella Baker, founder of The Loneliness Movement, a 2,500+ member in-person women’s community in Guelph, Canada. Drawing from her own experience of long-term loneliness after moving from England, her work focuses on turning awareness into real-life connection. Follow her on Instagram @thelonelinessmovement. My relationship with loneliness has been a lifelong journey. Growing up I always felt as though I didn’t belong, so when I fell in love with a Canadian and mov

Guest blog post by Music Declares Emergency. This June, we’re taking part in Loneliness Awareness Week. From 15 to 21 June 2026, we’ll be joining the global campaign led by Marmalade Trust. As part of our June Climate Action Challenge, we want to open up a conversation about loneliness, connection, and the role music can play in bringing people together. At Music Declares Emergency, our mission is to bring the music community together to demand urgent action on the climate an

Guest blog by: Andrea Frankenthal, Founder & CEO of hapipod.com – Homeshare Matching Site Making loneliness a personal challenge When I started university, I read Lynne Reid Banks’ ‘The L-Shaped Room’. For me, it was a tale of loneliness that profoundly affected me. I vowed not to let loneliness impact my life, and to help others do the same! I made sure I had ‘a friend for all occasions’, and as a natural networker, I loved helping others connect too. Later in life, after 67

Guest blog by: Libraries Connected, who are supporting Loneliness Awareness Week by encouraging libraries across their network to create welcoming spaces for connection and conversation. Loneliness is not always visible, yet its impact on individuals and communities can be profound. During Loneliness Awareness Week, we are reminded that dealing with isolation is not only about services, but about creating spaces where people feel they belong. Public libraries are exactly that

Guest blog by: The Bladder & Bowel Community supports millions of people across the UK and internationally by providing information, guidance, and practical advice on bladder and bowel conditions and related healthcare. Our mission is to raise awareness, offer meaningful support, and empower individuals to take control of their health and advocate for their own care needs. As the creators of the original Just Can’t Wait toilet card, our work plays a vital role in improving ac

Guest blog by: Rachael is a Communications Consultant at Trinity Centre, with whom she has been working since 2021. Trinity was established in 1972 for the benefit of Newham residents, particularly those who may be isolated, marginalised and vulnerable, to create a community space for education, support and connection. This June, from 15 to 21 June 2026, we’re taking part in Loneliness Awareness Week, a global campaign hosted by leading loneliness charity Marmalade Trust. Wh