Latest news with #LonelinessAwarenessWeek
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Loneliness Awareness Week hopes to reduce stigma
A charity is aiming to raise awareness of loneliness by spreading the message it is not something to be ashamed Marmalade Trust's Loneliness Awareness Week Campaign starts on Monday and encourages people to take action to build social connections and reduce the stigma around an effort to spark conversation, a trail of 52 "chatty" benches has been set up in Marmalade Trust's founder Amy Perrin said loneliness was "a normal human emotion and signalled a need for social connection". Ms Perrin, who founded the charity in Bristol in 2017, said the Covid-19 pandemic brought greater public awareness to the issue of loneliness, but stigma remained. She also explained there were different types of loneliness."It's subjective and different for everybody, so you can have loads of friends and a support network but then feel loneliness within your relationship. "Or maybe you've got loads of friends and family but you don't have a partner so you miss those watching TV moments or coming back from work and having a cuppa together," she awareness week has grown from a local project in Bristol to a global movement.A range of events is planned across the UK, with more than 5,000 activities scheduled across the week. Among the events in Bristol are a panel discussion, the release of recent research on loneliness, wellbeing walks, a friendship-focused speed dating event and an interactive pub benches have been set up between the Harbourside and the Tobacco Factory, each with prompts to help spark conversation. Internationally, events include a Capitol Hill discussion in Washington in the US, an art gallery spread across 11 Estonian cities and a panel in Malaysia.
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
The Hidden Crisis: mounting debts leaving people isolated and fearful
The Hidden Crisis: mounting debts leave people across Scotland isolated and fearful On average people in Scotland who come to the charity CAP Scotland for debt help owe over £10,000. Forth Valley Debt Coach says they are determined to help more local people improve their financial situations Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ahead of Loneliness Awareness Week (9-15 June), debt advice charity, Christians Against Poverty's (CAP Scotland) is releasing a new report, revealing the devastating impact debt and poverty is having on people. A crisis of isolation and fear is gripping people struggling with debt and poverty across the UK, according to the new report, No Time to Lose. It looks at the experiences of CAP Scotland's clients, and reveals a stark picture where debt is forcing people into hiding, with a staggering 85% feeling isolated, and more than half (52%) admitting they were afraid to leave their homes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad CAP's new report also highlights that many Scottish households face a debt crisis. New CAP clients in Scotland on average owed over £10,000*. They had organisations chasing them for payments on 9 different debts, with 51% of their arrears for priority debts, often for essential bills like Council Tax, rent arrears, gas and electricity. Someone looks at an empty wallet This comes alongside CAP's latest polling with Opinium**, which reveals that over 11.2 million UK adults are suffering with loneliness (21%), with 11.1 million (20%) living alone. Importantly, over 4.6 million (8%) report not having a support network. In Forth Valley CAP partners with 10 Churches, including Stirling Baptist Church, to offer free debt advice to local people, and CAP's Forth Valley Debt Centre Manager, Fiona Primrose says that isolation and fear are preventing people from seeking help, leading to their debts spiralling out of control. Fiona said: 'The financial pressures people face often go unseen, and as many are afraid to ask for help, they can isolate themselves from family and friends. CAP's latest report highlights that low income and struggles with mental health are the two biggest reasons our clients are finding themselves in a debt crisis. Many people live on ridiculously low incomes, and when faced with increasing costs and other financial challenges they can become trapped in a vicious cycle of uncontrollable debt, leaving them to feel ashamed and alone – only worsening their fear and anxieties.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Findings from No Time to Lose highlight the extent of the constant state of anxiety that many of the people coming to CAP for help report feeling: 78% fear answering the phone 82% are worried about opening the post 62% are frightened about a knock at the door 58% suffered from poor mental health CAP client and mum of three, Jolene, faced the raw isolation of a financial collapse when her working hours were slashed at the same time as she became liable for additional debts: 'I'd worked hard to get where I was, and I'd put myself through qualifications so I'd be in a good financial position. 'But my ex-partner left, which meant not only was I now responsible for paying back all the bills, but I was stuck paying off his debts as well. I didn't sleep properly because my head was permanently calculating, worrying about where the next meal's going to come from. It was a really depressing time.' Jolene finally reached out to Christians Against Poverty: 'That community has literally saved me, it's given me and my family hope for the future. What churches working with CAP do is provide a life-changing experience, but it's not just the initial support and getting people out of debt: it's that life-long support and guidance that they give you.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fiona continued: 'Many people struggling with debt are forced into isolation because of fear and worry about their situation. Thankfully, we're able to meet clients face-to-face and provide in-depth, bespoke support. We're determined to help more people in Forth Valley who are struggling financially, and so we urge those who need support to get in touch – please don't suffer alone.' How to seek help You can find more information on all of CAP's free services in your area on CAP's website at which includes access to an article on loneliness and some helpful tips and hints on how to manage your money.
