Campaign to combat Christmas loneliness in Peterborough stepped up by council

Four years ago, the #50000reasons campaign was launched by Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council and the Campaign to End Loneliness to encourage people to make contact with an older neighbour at Christmas.

The campaign runs annually helping to raise awareness of the more vulnerable members of our community.

Statistics suggest that as many as 50,000 older people who live alone across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough may be at risk of experiencing loneliness - that’s 50,000 reasons for you to act to tackle isolation this festive season.

Christmas can be a difficult and isolating time for people who live alone or have family living far away and with the restrictions in place because of Covid it is likely to be even more lonely for many this year. It can be a time when people reflect on what they have lost in life, increasing feelings of loneliness.

While people of any age can feel lonely, as we get older, factors such as living alone, bereavement, poor health and reduced mobility can lead to isolation, loneliness and put us all at risk of further ill health.

The good news is that loneliness is preventable if we all work together and it’s the small and simple things that can work best this Christmas to reduce social isolation.

Our top tips for good deeds this December to help end loneliness include:

Say hello (at a social distance) or wave at an older neighbour

Start a conversation with an older neighbour, following social distancing guidance

Send a Christmas card to older neighbours living alone in your street

Phone older relatives and friends who you might not see this Christmas

Check on an older neighbour, telephone if possible and follow social distancing guidelines, if you haven’t seen them for a few days and make sure they are in good health

Write a letter to an older person who has made a difference to you

Cllr Richard Howitt, Chair of Adult and Health Committee, Cambridgeshire County Council said: “I feel that we have all experienced loneliness over the past year or so and as such we can all understand that loneliness can have serious impacts on people’s health and ability to live their lives in the best way they can.

“The power of local communities and a kind word and thoughtful gesture as ever comes to the forefront. And will help tackle loneliness in our local neighbourhoods.

“Each small gesture this Christmas can make a big difference to someone experiencing loneliness at this time of year. Our top tips are really simple happy things that anyone can do and are all in line with social distancing guidance.”

Earlier this year, Cambridgeshire County Council started NAILCAP, a local initiative aiming to bring together organisations and community groups to increase opportunities available to those who feel lonely in the local region.

Any organisation who is involved in connecting local citizens to one another can be a member, and the network is hosted through the Knowledge Hub website, which allows members to share knowledge and resources on loneliness.

Meetings are monthly. They aim to evaluate available services for loneliness, and address gaps in service provision or quality, through sharing of information and expertise amongst member organisations. For further information please visit Home - Network for Addressing Isolation and Loneliness in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough - Knowledge Hub (khub.net) – note people will need a Knowledge Hub account to access it. Alternatively, people can contact [email protected] for more details.

For more tips and information about loneliness visit our Cambridgeshire and Peterborough websites