Walking Away the Loneliness with Girls Who Walk Bristol
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
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 residents of the city or have just moved here in the week of our upcoming walk. It’s a free group and an open space to meet others, with the shared understanding that making friends as a young adult can be one of the more challenging experiences we can face. We’re here to hopefully make it just that little bit easier.
At GWWB, our team truly hopes that everyone who attends an event understands we all have our personal reasons for turning up, such as experiences of loneliness, but that there is always someone to chat to on our walks and at our café stops.
Loneliness is something we all experience at different points in our lives. By taking part, we hope to create space for more open conversations and meaningful connections.
About the campaign
Loneliness Awareness Week is the world's largest campaign to inspire conversations about loneliness and promote connection activities happening across the world.
Everyone can join the movement by fundraising, hosting an event or activity, or sharing their voice on social media.
This year’s theme is Giving Loneliness a Voice.
Across the world, the campaign inspires people to recognise loneliness as a natural human emotion and create spaces for people to express how they feel without fear or judgement.
As a young person, it can often feel that our twenties should be seen as “the time of our life”, and when there are moments of loneliness, you can start to think this isn’t something we should be feeling. However, it is more normal than you can even begin to believe.
I think it is so important to talk about loneliness and give it a voice. It isn’t something to feel shameful about experiencing and, of course, it can feel uncomfortable to bring up, but finding those spaces where giving it a voice feels natural and freeing is so important. I see Girls Who Walk Bristol doing that for the community all the time.
By giving loneliness a voice in my life, it has led to the growth of a wonderful community that I am so proud of, and friends that make me feel comfortable to talk about those moments.
The space to be open and give loneliness a voice is vital to us all.
Why it matters
While many people experience loneliness, not everyone feels able to talk about it.
By sharing stories and starting conversations, we can help make it easier for people to feel seen, heard and understood.
To myself, it matters because Girls Who Walk Bristol was born from a feeling that I now feel comfortable to say was loneliness. After arriving back here in my hometown of Bristol after finishing four years at university, with a few of those years happening during the pandemic, I felt like I had missed out on some of those occasions to meet people.
Being back in Bristol, I realised there weren’t many spaces at the time that were organised to meet people in a casual way and at a low-cost point. With most of my friends now spread across the country, I needed a sense of community in Bristol to re-explore the city I called home. Inspired by other Girls Who Walk groups around the country, I decided to give this a go. I enjoyed walking and I wanted to meet people, and was sure there would be others in the same situation.
What started back in August 2023 has now become a bi-monthly walking group with over 5k followers, and that number only means something because the group has become something that people have found connection with. The only goal there ever was.
That matters because I would love for every woman who attends to be able to feel the same, whether they come only once or are a regular. They have helped build a community that represents making friends as young adults.
And to Emily, Chloe, Megan and Ebony, thank you for being my walking pals. Any thought that I had stepped too far out of my comfort zone is a reminder that I got exactly what I needed, a community.
How we’re taking part
Taking part does not need to be big. Small, thoughtful actions can make a difference.
Here’s how we’re getting involved: Walking Away the Loneliness with GWWB.
We’ll be hosting a series of events across Loneliness Awareness Week for our regular community and new members to join us, and take a moment to give loneliness a voice and recognise how this can affect us all at any point in life.
Our first walk is Sunday 14 June, the second is Wednesday 17 June and the final walk is Sunday 21 June. These will be hosted across Bristol and will include a refreshment break as well. You can find these on the Connections Map, and type in Girls Who Walk Bristol.
We’d love to have you join us. Come along or bring a friend. We’ll be there to chat!
How you can take part
You can get involved in a way that feels right for you. You might:
Host an event or connection activity using the campaign resources.
Share the campaign, or your own experiences of loneliness on social media using the social media toolkit.
Start a conversation with someone new throughout the week, or put it on your meeting agenda.
Follow our lesson and assembly plans for schools.
Every action helps make loneliness more visible and reminds others they are not alone.
Get started
Share using #GivingLonelinessAVoice #LonelinessAwarenessWeek
Whatever actions you take, big or small, you are helping to give loneliness a voice.
