End Loneliness Campaign

"Isolation drives 1 in 5 patients to their GP"

According to stats Loneliness is as harmful to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. There are over 800,000 people in the UK alone who feel lonely a lot of the time.

I am writing this blog to raise awareness for this great cause; The Campaign to End Loneliness. http://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/ 

For as long as I can remember I have always had a soft spot for the aged, probably thanks to my close relationship with my amazing Nanny. 

She passed away three years ago and has left a huge space in my heart. 

I feel almost certain now that I can fill this space through helping the elderly and preventing them from feeling so alone. Even just saying "hello" when they pass you in the street can make things a little better for them. Or just passing around the Campaign to End Loneliness page to raise awareness of such a great cause. 

Someone out there can make a difference. You. Me. Us.

This campaign caught my attention this morning on BBC Breakfast News where an elderly lady, Violet Rimmer, was expressing her loneliness at her fantastic age of 95. She mentions how she has lost her friends and her family stop by but she wishes it could be everyday. A few years ago she was part of a pensioners group to keep herself company, but again, inevitably, she now only has one friend left from that group. 

It was a sad story to watch but i'm glad I did because I now feel like I can try to make a difference. As I mentioned, even just raising awareness of the campaign is benefiting someone, somewhere. 

So, here is my plea. I am currently studying towards a PGCE and working full time in a school so find extra time hard to come by. My aim is to just raise awareness of this campaign in hopes that someone can view the 'take action' page and do just that. 'Take Action' and help the elderly. My promise is that I will 'take action' whenever I can too. 

So please, visit the website, and do whatever you can to make a change

http://www.campaigntoendloneliness.org/

Or follow them on Twitter via: @EndLonelinessUK