Latest news with #MarmaladeTrust
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Over half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month… but are ashamed to admit it, study shows
Gen Z feels lonelier than any generation—yet hides it behind screens and silence daily NOT ALONE Over half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month… but are ashamed to admit it, study shows Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) OVER half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month – but are ashamed to admit it. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed 56 per cent would rarely or never consider talking to someone else about how isolated they felt. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure Credit: SWNS Reasons for this included not wanting to burden others (37 per cent), not believing anyone else will understand (21 per cent), and not wanting to appear vulnerable (21 per cent). This may be a reflection on the strength of their support networks, as a quarter (24 per cent) described theirs as lacking – and a further 13 per cent didn't have one at all. Instead, those who feel lonely are likely to distract themselves through entertainment, such as watching TV (47 per cent), going on social media (22 per cent), or listening to the radio (19 per cent). The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure, which is partnering with Marmalade Trust, a Bristol-based charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people build meaningful connections. As part of this partnership and in support of Loneliness Awareness Week, Pure will be donating 150 radios to individuals across the UK who are looking for support through a period of loneliness. Dr Lalitaa [COR], behaviouralist psychologist and expert in emotional wellbeing, commented: 'Loneliness remains a taboo subject, often shrouded in shame and stigma. 'But human connection is a basic psychological need – one that's increasingly difficult to fulfil in today's fast-paced, digital world. 'It's encouraging to see initiatives like this that provide simple, tangible comfort and help people feel part of something again.' Tara Fisher, COO from Marmalade Trust added: "Loneliness is a natural human emotion that we are all likely to experience in our lifetime. 'But there is still a stigma around loneliness, which means a significant portion of the population are reluctant to speak about these feelings to others – either because they don't feel they have anyone to talk to or are worried about doing so.' Despite these feelings of shame around loneliness, nearly eight in 10 (79 per cent) acknowledged it as a common phenomenon among the general population. Women were also found to feel lonelier than men – with only 16 per cent of women saying they never feel lonely, compared to 26 per cent of men. But perceptions about the generations most affected were not entirely accurate – with 19 per cent of all respondents believing the Silent Generation (born 1928-1945) is impacted the most by loneliness. However, Gen Zs (born 1996-2011) specifically reported feeling lonelier than any other age group, with one third feeling this way a few times a week and 11 per cent even experiencing this every single day. This compares to 19 per cent of the whole population dealing with this a few times a week and only six per cent every day. Worries about being judged (25 per cent) and dismissed (21 per cent) were also higher among Gen Zs – as were desires to socialise more (53 per cent) and make more friends (42 per cent). This compares to the 'famously lonely' Silent Generation – four in 10 of whom reported usually only going an hour maximum without speaking to someone else. A fifth of all those asked agreed on one day as the limit for not speaking to another person before feeling lonely – yet 23 per cent go this long, or longer, without talking to anyone regularly. Regionally, Londoners were most likely to report feeling lonely – with 33 per cent of those living in the capital saying they feel lonely at least a few times a week. Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) of all respondents also claimed to feel lonelier now than they did five years ago, primarily because it's now harder to meet people. Other reasons included changes in personal relationships (23 per cent), financial stress (22 per cent), and lower self-esteem (20 per cent). The top locations people reported feeling lonely were also established as at home alone (59 per cent), in a crowd (27 per cent), and when having a meal by themselves (26 per cent). Perhaps to stave off this lonely feeling, over half (52 per cent) are more likely to listen to the radio when at home alone, according to data. Other than listening to the news and their favourite music, 38 per cent utilise their broadcast boxes for background noise (38 per cent), company (20 per cent), and making the house feel less quiet (19 per cent). A further 16 per cent specified listening to the radio helps them to feel less lonely, with 15 per cent liking to hear the sound of other people's voices, and 13 per cent enjoying being part of the conversation. Stations providing the best company were also identified as pop music (30 per cent), oldies music (24 per cent), and talk radio stations (21 per cent). Hubert Eiter, spokesperson for Pure, which is donating £5 for every Pure radio sold between June 9 – July 9, 2025 in support of Marmalade Trust, said: 'Pure has been active in supporting loneliness charities over many years and we are proud to partner with the Marmalade Trust this year. 'It's great to see that everyday listening can bring a lot of comfort to people, as it has the power to immediately make a room feel livelier and less quiet – we love the fact that radio is able to provide some company for those who feel lonely from time to time.'
The Sun
4 hours ago
- Health
- The Sun
Over half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month… but are ashamed to admit it, study shows
OVER half of Brits feel lonely at least once a month – but are ashamed to admit it. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed 56 per cent would rarely or never consider talking to someone else about how isolated they felt. 2 Reasons for this included not wanting to burden others (37 per cent), not believing anyone else will understand (21 per cent), and not wanting to appear vulnerable (21 per cent). This may be a reflection on the strength of their support networks, as a quarter (24 per cent) described theirs as lacking – and a further 13 per cent didn't have one at all. Instead, those who feel lonely are likely to distract themselves through entertainment, such as watching TV (47 per cent), going on social media (22 per cent), or listening to the radio (19 per cent). The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure, which is partnering with Marmalade Trust, a Bristol -based charity dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people build meaningful connections. As part of this partnership and in support of Loneliness Awareness Week, Pure will be donating 150 radios to individuals across the UK who are looking for support through a period of loneliness. Dr Lalitaa [COR], behaviouralist psychologist and expert in emotional wellbeing, commented: 'Loneliness remains a taboo subject, often shrouded in shame and stigma. 'But human connection is a basic psychological need – one that's increasingly difficult to fulfil in today's fast-paced, digital world. 'It's encouraging to see initiatives like this that provide simple, tangible comfort and help people feel part of something again.' Tara Fisher, COO from Marmalade Trust added: "Loneliness is a natural human emotion that we are all likely to experience in our lifetime. 'But there is still a stigma around loneliness, which means a significant portion of the population are reluctant to speak about these feelings to others – either because they don't feel they have anyone to talk to or are worried about doing so.' Despite these feelings of shame around loneliness, nearly eight in 10 (79 per cent) acknowledged it as a common phenomenon among the general population. Women were also found to feel lonelier than men – with only 16 per cent of women saying they never feel lonely, compared to 26 per cent of men. But perceptions about the generations most affected were not entirely accurate – with 19 per cent of all respondents believing the Silent Generation (born 1928-1945) is impacted the most by loneliness. However, Gen Zs (born 1996-2011) specifically reported feeling lonelier than any other age group, with one third feeling this way a few times a week and 11 per cent even experiencing this every single day. This compares to 19 per cent of the whole population dealing with this a few times a week and only six per cent every day. Worries about being judged (25 per cent) and dismissed (21 per cent) were also higher among Gen Zs – as were desires to socialise more (53 per cent) and make more friends (42 per cent). This compares to the 'famously lonely' Silent Generation – four in 10 of whom reported usually only going an hour maximum without speaking to someone else. A fifth of all those asked agreed on one day as the limit for not speaking to another person before feeling lonely – yet 23 per cent go this long, or longer, without talking to anyone regularly. Regionally, Londoners were most likely to report feeling lonely – with 33 per cent of those living in the capital saying they feel lonely at least a few times a week. Nearly four in 10 (39 per cent) of all respondents also claimed to feel lonelier now than they did five years ago, primarily because it's now harder to meet people. Other reasons included changes in personal relationships (23 per cent), financial stress (22 per cent), and lower self-esteem (20 per cent). The top locations people reported feeling lonely were also established as at home alone (59 per cent), in a crowd (27 per cent), and when having a meal by themselves (26 per cent). Perhaps to stave off this lonely feeling, over half (52 per cent) are more likely to listen to the radio when at home alone, according to data. Other than listening to the news and their favourite music, 38 per cent utilise their broadcast boxes for background noise (38 per cent), company (20 per cent), and making the house feel less quiet (19 per cent). A further 16 per cent specified listening to the radio helps them to feel less lonely, with 15 per cent liking to hear the sound of other people's voices, and 13 per cent enjoying being part of the conversation. Stations providing the best company were also identified as pop music (30 per cent), oldies music (24 per cent), and talk radio stations (21 per cent). Hubert Eiter, spokesperson for Pure, which is donating £5 for every Pure radio sold between June 9 – July 9, 2025 in support of Marmalade Trust, said: 'Pure has been active in supporting loneliness charities over many years and we are proud to partner with the Marmalade Trust this year. 'It's great to see that everyday listening can bring a lot of comfort to people, as it has the power to immediately make a room feel livelier and less quiet – we love the fact that radio is able to provide some company for those who feel lonely from time to time.' 2
Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Brits experience loneliness every month - but are too ashamed to admit it
New research has found that nearly four in 10 Brits feel lonelier now than they did five years ago, with those who feel lonely likely to distract themselves through entertainment Over half of Brits experience loneliness at least once a month – yet feel too embarrassed to admit it. Almost four in 10 confessed to feeling more isolated now than they did five years ago. A survey of 2,000 adults disclosed that nearly two thirds of Brits would rarely or never contemplate discussing their feelings of isolation. Reasons for this include not wanting to impose on others, doubting anyone else will comprehend, and reluctance to show vulnerability. Instead, those who feel lonely are likely to distract themselves through entertainment, such as watching telly, browsing social media, or tuning into the radio. The research was commissioned by audio brand, Pure, which is collaborating with Marmalade Trust, a Bristol-based charity committed to raising awareness of loneliness and helping people forge meaningful connections. As part of this collaboration and in support of Loneliness Awareness Week, Pure will be donating 150 radios to individuals across the UK who are seeking support during a period of loneliness. Dr Lalitaa, a behavioural psychologist and expert in emotional wellbeing, remarked: "Loneliness remains a taboo subject, often shrouded in shame and stigma. It's encouraging to see initiatives like this that provide simple, tangible comfort and help people feel part of something again. Tara Fisher, COO from Marmalade Trust, commented: "Loneliness is a natural human emotion that we are all likely to experience in our lifetime. "There is still a stigma around loneliness, which means a significant portion of the population are reluctant to speak about these feelings to others – either because they don't feel they have anyone to talk to or are worried about doing so." Despite these feelings of shame around loneliness, eight in 10 acknowledged it as a common feeling among the general population. A fifth of all those asked agreed a day is the limit for not speaking to another person before feeling lonely. However, the study emphasised that women were found to feel lonelier than men, with only 16% of women saying they never feel lonely, compared to 26% of men. Gen Z, those born between 1996-2011, also reported feeling lonelier than any other age group, with a third feeling lonely more than once a week, while 11% said they experienced loneliness every day. Regionally, Londoners were most likely to report feeling lonely with 33% of those living in the capital saying they feel lonely at least a few times a week. The top locations people reported feeling lonely were also established as at home alone, in a crowd, and when having a meal by themselves. According to data from people often listen to the radio when they're home alone. Aside from tuning in for news and their favourite music, 38% use their radios for background noise, 20% for company, and 19% to make the house feel less quiet. An additional 16% stated that listening to the radio helps them feel less lonely, with 15% enjoying hearing other people's voices, and 13% liking being part of the conversation. The stations providing the best company were identified as pop music (30%), oldies music (24%), and talk radio stations (21%). Hubert Eiter, spokesperson for Pure, which is donating £5 for every Pure radio sold between June 9 – July 9, 2025 in support of Marmalade Trust, said: "Pure has been active in supporting loneliness charities over many years and we are proud to partner with the Marmalade Trust this year. "It's great to see that everyday listening can bring a lot of comfort to people, as it has the power to immediately make a room feel livelier and less quiet – we love the fact that radio is able to provide some company for those who feel lonely from time to time."
BBC News
3 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.
