Johnson and fiancee to take part in festive bell-ringing event for lonely

THE Prime Minister and his fiancee Carrie Symonds are to participate in a Christmas Eve bell-ringing event to help combat loneliness.

Boris Johnson spoke with organiser Mary Beggs-reid, saying that he, Ms Symonds and baby son Wilfred “will be out ringing bells”.

Ms Beggs-reid said her event is “more needed now than ever”.

“He said him, Carrie and Wilfred will be out ringing bells to help Santa on his way,” she said after the phone call yesterday.

“They love the idea and will look for bells to join us. They said they support anything helping Santa fly his sleigh for the children.”

Thousands of people across the UK have been asked to ring bells for two minutes at 6pm tomorrow as part of the campaign, which started on October 19.

The event has been endorsed by Captain Sir Tom Moore, who called it “a brilliant initiative at a time where it is really needed”.

Meanwhile, people anticipating a lonely festive period have been urged to “take it one day at a time” in an effort to protect their mental health.

It follows the last-minute restrictions on social freedoms, which leave many facing Christmas without their loved ones.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: “It is true to say that this Christmas is throwing a unique bunch of challenges on older people.

“A lot of them will be very stoic and resilient, but for some it will really be the worst Christmas since the Second World War.

“Winter is always difficult for older people, but Christmas is usually a positive for them. However, not being able to see relatives or friends they had expected to spend time with is going to present a new problem, which will make it difficult.

“It is important for them to ask for help — now is not the time to be shy — and to plan things to look forward to, taking it one day at a time.”