MP for High Peak, Robert Largan, has joined a national campaign to help tackle loneliness this winter.
Robert is undertaking 12 days of action to counter loneliness this Christmas as part of a push by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Loneliness and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
MPs and Members of the House of Lords are helping to spread the message that it’s OK to feel lonely, and it’s OK to talk about it.
Robert is backing the campaign at a time when British Red Cross research shows 39 per cent of adults haven’t had a meaningful conversation in a fortnight, and around a third (32 per cent) worry that something will happen to them and nobody will notice.
Robert is taking part in the campaign alongside members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Loneliness to show the sorts of simple things people can do to help those who are feeling lonely and cut off from others as Christmas approaches.
Since Sunday, 13 December, MPs and Members of the House of Lords have made a small but crucial contribution each day—including promoting the Government’s #LetsTalkLoneliness campaign online, talking about the issue with colleagues over a cup of tea, finding out more about local services, activities and groups, and sharing their own experiences of loneliness or isolation with others.
The British Red Cross is the co-secretariat, along with the Co-op, of the APPG on Loneliness.
The APPG on Loneliness is asking people to support the Government’s #LetsTalkLoneliness campaign by sharing information about ways in which people can access support during the winter months.
The Let’s Talk Loneliness campaign aims to reduce the stigma associated with loneliness and to remind people that there’s no shame in asking for help.
Throughout December, the Let's Talk Loneliness advent calendar is sharing practical advice, inspiring stories, and support routes to encourage people to take the first steps to alleviate loneliness in themselves and others.
Anyone can contact the British Red Cross coronavirus support line on 0808 196 3651 (10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. seven days a week) or access a great toolkit of resources for adults and young people, including online group sessions and digital classrooms, as well as thought-provoking podcasts where others share their experiences of tackling loneliness.
Robert Largan MP said:
“I’m backing the #LetsTalkLoneliness campaign. Many aspects of normal life have been put on hold, and the reduction in basic human contact has been hard for many this year.
“It is very important during this time that people do all they can to support one another.”
“Charities like the British Red Cross will play an incredibly important part of this national effort to tackle loneliness this winter.”
Head of health and resilience policy for The British Red Cross charity, Olivia Field, said:
“As the holiday season approaches, it’s crucial that we all stay in touch and remind others that we are there for them and thinking about them at a time when Covid-19 is keeping us apart.
“MPs and Members of the House of Lords are uniquely placed in their community to reach out to those who may need a little extra support—they know who is most vulnerable in their communities, and what can be done locally to help them.
“Everyone can contribute to their community, family and workplace this winter by being there to talk, listen and help where they can.”
If you are feeling lonely and would like to reach out, call the British Red Cross coronavirus support line on 0808 196 3651, or access the charity’s online loneliness resources at www.redcross.org.uk/loneliness-resources.
