Why the Minister for Loneliness is supporting Be More Us
The recently appointed Minister for Loneliness, Baroness Barran, has a wealth of experience in the charity sector, and is committed to tackling loneliness from the ground-up. Here she talks about how the importance of building a sense of community, and how tackling loneliness is something we can all get involved in.
We all have a role to play in tackling loneliness. That is why I’m pleased to welcome the launch of ‘Be More Us’. This national campaign by the Campaign to End Loneliness will promote the importance of building a sense of community and finding ways to connect with friends, family and neighbours.
Small Moments Matter
Loneliness can be a frightening emotion to experience. I, like most people, have gone through times where I have felt lonely. But as the campaign highlights, we can all do our bit to encourage small moments of connection that make a real difference, whether it’s putting down your phone, going for a long ‘walk and talk’ or chatting to someone while waiting for the bus.
“We can all do our bit to encourage small moments of connection that make a real difference.”
Having volunteered and worked in the sector for over 30 years, I know the power our charities, social enterprises and community groups have to change lives for the better. These organisations play a unique role in supporting local communities.
Over the past year, great progress has been made by my predecessors in kickstarting the national conversation about loneliness across Government and beyond.
“It is clear to me, now more than ever, that civil society organisations really are the glue that holds local communities together.”
The Loneliness Strategy
In October 2018, our first loneliness strategy was launched. It was a bold start, containing 60 new policies from nine Government departments. We invested £11.5million in The Building Connections Fund, with 126 organisations receiving funding to support people from all ages and backgrounds.
In June this year, the ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ campaign was launched, encouraging us all to speak up without stigma, build more social connections and recognise the signs of loneliness. But there is much more we can do to address social isolation and support those experiencing loneliness.
Over the past few weeks I’ve met a range of charities and organisations across the country. During roundtables and visits, we’ve discussed what more we could do to strengthen relationships in our society. It is clear to me, now more than ever, that civil society organisations really are the glue that holds local communities together.
Loneliness doesn’t discriminate and we are committed to tackling this issue head-on. One of my key priorities for the coming months is to work with organisations like the Campaign to End Loneliness to continue to raise awareness of this issue and help create more opportunities for people to forge strong social connections.