The response to our second ever Loneliness Awareness Week (LAW) has been amazing. From Aberdeen to Finchley, from Bristol to Newquay, people have turned out in their droves to get involved with LAW and raise awareness of loneliness.
We’ve had bakeries and amateur bakers making new friends over our Connection Cake, wildlife walks, tea parties, fireman delivering home-baked goodies, kids eating cake in care homes and making older friends and much much more.
We’ve been featured in the local and national press, from Marmalade Founder Amy Perrin being interviewed on ITV to Marmalade and Loneliness Awareness Week being featured in publications from The Telegraph to Female First to the Daily Mail and Bristol Evening Post. It’s a great week for loneliness all around – yesterday the government announced they are putting £20 million pounds into tackling loneliness. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/20-million-investment-to-help-tackle-loneliness
“I feel overwhelmed with the support and kindness of all our volunteers and community groups being involved,” says Amy. “Not just from Bristol but all around the country. It’s been incredible to hear of the new friendships already made.
For example, one of our volunteers drove two older people, Martin and Eva, back from an event on Monday and they swapped numbers. Martin said to Eva, ‘I’ve got free minutes at the weekends so I’ll give you a call and we can chat away for hours.’ Eva was delighted and they swapped numbers. This sums up what we are all about and what we are trying to do. Opening doors for people to reach out and make new friendships.”
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