New badge for Guides in tackling loneliness

GIRL GUIDES in Manchester have launched a UK first with a new badge to tackle loneliness in old people.

Youngsters have been visiting homes for the elderly and sheltered housing centres to speak to senior citizens to earn the new badge.

It is hoped the initiative will be adopted by other guides across the country.

The pilot badge started just before Christmas with events including Brownies and Rainbows from Northenden in the city, putting on a play at a sheltered housing court in South Manchester and arranging an indoor camp fire with story-telling and craft sessions.

Former Brownie Veronica Armstrong, 67, from Northenden, a grandmother of 16, said: “Me and my age-group have the time to spend with children and we can give them a different view on life. We also have skills we can show them like sewing, learning to knit and doing gardening. Plus, a lot of my friends miss their families because they don’t live near their own children or grand kids and they would really like to have that ongoing involvement with children’s projects.”

After the trial run the badge is being rolled out across Manchester this week for all 5,000 Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and members of The Senior Section.

The Yorkshire Post’s award-winning campaign Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic has been highlighting the issue of loneliness.