National charity Plunkett Foundation is urging people to make #thelittlethings matter by reaching out to lonely people in Lancashire, as part of a pioneering UK-wide campaign.

Loneliness is a very common but often ignored problem amongst many sectors of society, yet health professionals say it’s as bad for your health as 15 cigarettes a day and worse than obesity. Indeed, Britain has been ranked European capital for loneliness and the statistics thrown up by recent research only highlight the issue:
More than a third of children said they felt lonely in the last week and nearly two thirds of parents worry their children are lonely some or all of the time. (Action for Children, 2017)
Three quarters of GPs report seeing between one and five lonely people a day (Campaign to End Loneliness, 2013)
One in eight disabled people have less than half an hour’s interaction with another person a day (Scope, 2017)
Britain ranked 26 out of 28 EU countries by the proportion of people who say they have someone they can rely on if they have a serious problem (Office for National Statistics, 2014)

Plunkett, a charity which supports communities in setting up and running their own amenities such as shops, cafes and pubs, is today launching its new #thelittlethings campaign which is encouraging as many people as possible to make a small amount of time for people who may be suffering in silence with loneliness.

Head of Engagement Harriet English explained: “Whether it’s young parents struggling to get out of the house with a new born, people working from home and not seeing anyone all day, or those with long-term health issues – there are a lot more lonely people out there than you think.

“Our campaign is simple: do something little to reach out to someone who is on their own and think about how a community co-operative could reduce loneliness in your community. This could be starting a volunteering shift with a friend who you know has been struggling at school, or perhaps inviting a new young parent up the road out for a cup of tea and a chat at your local community hub, café or pub. You’d be amazed how even a small amount of interaction during the day can really help stave off those lonely blues which, research shows, can lead to more long-term mental health problems if not dealt with.

“Our mission at Plunkett is to empower remote communities by enabling them to take control of local businesses such as the village shop or pub, amenities which have seen a sad decline over the years. When these amenities are taken over as community co-operatives, sociable hubs are created that can really bring people together. For many rural areas, a co-operative pub or a shop is much more than just a business, it gives communities back their beating heart and breathes life into remote rural communities.

“Our new #thelittlethings campaign is very much aligned with our core work in enabling community co-operatives to flourish – the community hubs we have helped create are already celebrated for being part of the solution to the huge problem of loneliness in remote areas and our new campaign is another way of building on those values by raising awareness of this common but often hidden problem.”

Plunkett has lots of ideas on its website - www.plunkett.co.uk/thelittlethings - as to how to reach out to someone who is lonely, such as:
Invite a new parent out for a cup of tea and chat at your local shop, pub or community café.
Ask in your local community co-operative, or your local shop, pub or library, if there is anyone that would benefit from an extra hand to walk the dog or drop off some shopping for a person who struggles with their health and, as well as the good dead itself, you’ll be providing a much-valued social connection.
Look to start a conversation in with someone new in your community. Encourage them to join in with local community activities hosted by the shop or the pub. If there aren’t any, perhaps think about creating some new activities in your area. Taking time to talk to people on a regular basis will help them, and you, feel part of your community and know that help and support is on hand when needed.
Volunteer for a local community co-operative project – a new face is always appreciated, and your time could mean that additional services can be provided to those that really need it, such as home deliveries, or more time to have a chat to those that use the community co-operative for social contact.

As the campaign progresses the Plunkett site will also feature case studies, like Meet the Walkie Talkies, (www.plunkett.co.uk/thelittlethings), and pictures to encourage people to come forward and tell their own experiences of loneliness.

Harriet said: “We hope that by sharing stories of loneliness – in many ways a modern taboo – it will really help people who are experiencing loneliness know that they are not alone and that there are people and communities out there who are ready and willing to help. We hope that this campaign will also inspire more people to step forward and contact us about exploring the community co-operative model to bring their wider reaching benefits into their rural community.”