Campaign tackles loneliness issue
A campaign to combat the growing problem of loneliness has been launched by The People’s Friend.
With nearly half of people aged 75 or over now living alone, and half of all older people saying the TV is their main source of company, concerns continue to be raised about the damaging effect of loneliness on people’s health.
It has even been claimed that loneliness can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Angela Gilchrist, editor of The People’s Friend, explained: “Many of our readers write in to say that the magazine is the highlight of their week, anditmakesthemfeel connected to the world.
“It’s wonderful that we are important to them, but it’s also sad that people feel a magazine is their only connection to the world.”
The magazine is teaming up with three charities; Contact the Elderly, the Silver Line andtheRoyal Voluntary Service.
Angela said: “We’ll be looking at one charity each week at the work theydoandthe opportunities to get involved. We want people to pledge time, money, or both.”