Before she was killed, Jo Cox was working on putting loneliness on the national agenda. As part of her legacy, co-chaired by Seema Kennedy MP (Con) and Rachel Reeves MP (Lab), the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness was born.
Working with partners all over the UK – Action for Children, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, The British Red Cross, The Campaign to End Loneliness, Carers UK, The Co-op, Eden Project Communities, Independent Age, Refugee Action, Royal Voluntary Service, Sense and The Silver Line – the commission will highlight different groups of people throughout the year, all of whom may be at risk of loneliness.
20 March to 23 April will shine a spotlight on older people. The Commission is encouraging everyone to start a conversation about the problem of loneliness, to start to break down the stigma of talking about it.
Mariella Fostrup addressed the issue in her column in The Guardian this week, responding to an older woman who wrote about having family and friends but still often feeling lonely.
Time to Shine will be hosting a pop-up stall on 6 April at the St John’s Shopping Centre to get people’s views and encourage passers-by to have their own conversations. Please come along and say hello!
Groups around Leeds are also encouraged to plan an event for The Great Get Together in June 2017.
What about you? What can you do?