Loneliness crisis campaign boosted by politicians’ pledge
THE HUMBLE mince pie is being used as a catalyst to tackle loneliness during the festive season.
Politicians met yesterday in Westminster for an event organised by the Jo Cox Foundation, which was set up in memory of the murdered Batley MP who was killed in 2016.
The campaign is calling on MPs to join the organisation to provide support for constituents who are isolated, especially during the Christmas period.
Kim Leadbeater, the sister of Mrs Cox, attended the reception with dozens of MPs from across the political spectrum. Yorkshire MPs Rachel Reeves, Mary Creagh, Yvette Cooper and Graham Stuart have put their names to a cross-party letter saying that politicians should come together to help tackle loneliness.
Ms Leadbeater told The Yorkshire Post that the event was well attended and boosted by support for the Mince Pie Moments campaign, which urges people to share time with anyone who is enduring loneliness.
She said: “These are very uncertain times in the UK. It is easy
to feel angry, frustrated and helpless. But there are things we can all do and reaching out to people in the community and doing something simple like sharing a mince pice really can make a difference.
“Loneliness was an issue that was close to Jo’s heart, and the progress that has been made to raise awareness of the problem is something she would be very proud of. By checking on our neighbours, sharing food and a friendly conversation we can
work to ensure that no one feels lonely at Christmas.”
More than two million over50s will suffer from loneliness by 2025/26 – an increase of 49 per cent in the decade from 2016/17, demographic analysis by the charity Age UK has revealed, with huge numbers expected to experience loneliness in later life due to the nation’s ageing population.
The Yorkshire Post launched its award-winning campaign Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic in 2014 to highlight the issue.