16 January 2019

Working with the British Red Cross to tackle isolation

This week we held a coffee morning at Trevithick Court, Camborne where residents were able to get to know each other better over a good cup of coffee and a custard cream.
British Red Cross partnership with LiveWest

One gentleman, used the opportunity to introduce himself to his new neighbours, having only moved in a couple of days before.

With loneliness on the rise, it is more important than ever to bring communities together like this. In fact, us Brit’s don’t tend to make the effort to get to know those around us, according to a study by Aviva last year, 6 million adults in Britain don’t even know their neighbour's name.

The coffee morning was held in conjunction with the British Red Cross who in partnership with Co-op, provide services across the UK for those who are feeling isolated, helping them to re-connect with their communities.

Sue Hooper, a community connector at the British Red Cross said: “Loneliness and social isolation doesn’t discriminate.  Life circumstances can change in the blink of an eye, meaning it can happen to anyone, no matter your age or background.

“Changes common in many people’s lives such as becoming a parent, getting divorced or separated, experiencing health and mobility issues, retiring or suffering bereavement, can all be triggers for loneliness. Through the Red Cross Connecting Communities service, we aim to help those experiencing loneliness rebuild their confidence and reconnect with their community.” 

If you or someone you know think they can benefit from this service head over to the British Red Cross website to find out more.

 You can read more stories like these, by following our social isolation campaign with the hashtag #AnyoneAnywhere on our social media channels.