Why we made Let’s Talk More

Loneliness and social isolation are on the rise with nine million lonely people in the UK, and almost half (49%) of UK adults say that their busy lives stop them from connecting with other people.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. There is something we can all do something to tackle loneliness, and it’s incredibly simple.

#LetsTalkMore

Small moments of connection like saying hello to someone in your local shopping centre or smiling at someone on the bus are important ways to tackle loneliness and can have a huge impact on someone’s day. Our research found that almost 9 in 10 (88%) people agree with us.

We have launched the Let’s Talk More video to encourage people to initiate these small moments of connection. Small moments can make a huge difference.

We can only tackle loneliness if we all play our part. We all need friendship and support, no matter what age we are.

We made Let’s Talk More to encourage people to look up and make conversation with the people around us. We want people to feel confident in initiating a conversation. Even a simple ‘hello’ and a smile can make a huge difference to someone’s day, particularly to the nine million lonely people in the UK.

Why aren’t we talking?

In our research almost half of the people questioned (49%) say that their busy lives stop them from connecting with others. The arrival of social media and mobile phones means that people are often distracted and not present in the moment, especially when in public.

We know that many people are chatty and friendly, but we think that by encouraging even more people to be open to new conversations and friendships we can help tackle loneliness.

We have more in common than that which divides us

As Jo Cox said, “We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us”. We wanted to ask each and every one of you to take some time out of your day, and look to have a chat with someone new. It might be someone you see every day, or a complete stranger. As the advert says – ‘it’s good to talk’ – And we agree with that.

For many people who are isolated and alone, that small moment of connection could be the first conversation they’ve had in weeks.

But we also hope that everyone gets something out of it. Conversation and connection are good for us. Let’s celebrate the art of small talk and have a good natter. Let’s Talk More. Let’s Be More Us.