Council & Charities Team Up To Tackle Loneliness

Be More Connected, an initiative to kick-start Loneliness Awareness Week beginning on Monday 17 June, is set to showcase the support available to people of all ages who feel lonely.

Belfast City Council has teamed up with a host of local charities to celebrate the projects that bring people together and tackle loneliness across the city.

The organisations are asking people in Belfast to get involved by taking the time to connect with each other. Research shows that small moments of connection, such as a wave across the road to a neighbour or a cheery chat with a stranger, help people feel more connected in their communities and can help tackle loneliness and isolation.

Loneliness is one of the most pressing issues of our time. In 2018, the Royal College of General Practitioners Northern Ireland (RCGPNI) said that loneliness has become a "public health epidemic", with one in five patients visiting their GP mainly because they are lonely. 

Be More Connected has been co-ordinated by Campaign to End Loneliness, Age NI, Belfast City Council, Belfast Health Development Unit, Red Cross, CLARE (Creative Local Action, Responses and Engagement), Volunteer Now and other agencies, organisations and groups across Belfast. 

Lord Mayor Councillor John Finucane said: "Loneliness and isolation is a very serious issue that many people in our city face on a daily basis. The Be More Connected event promises to be a fantastic interactive experience showcasing the innovative work organisations across Belfast do to help those who find themselves socially isolated. I would encourage as many people as possible to come along and make new connections and enjoy the many wonderful events that will be on display."

The launch event on Monday 17 June will include:

• Pop-up choir at Belfast City Hall, 11.45am and 12.15am- open to all

• Screening of 'Older than Ireland' at Queen's Film Theatre, followed by a director's talk and audience discussion, 3.30pm

• 'Slipped Disco' at Black Box, 7.30pm.

Robert Atkinson, who attends Age NI's Skainos day centre in East Belfast said: "I felt the dark old days of depression due to isolation and loneliness lifted when a kind friend introduced me to an Age NI day centre in East Belfast. It opened a completely new world for me and with the help of the wonderful competent staff, I am still in that bright new world."

Fiona Murphy, Campaign Manager for Northern Ireland at Campaign to End Loneliness said: "I am delighted that charities and public sector organisations are coming together for this event to help end loneliness in Belfast. Loneliness is something which we are all vulnerable to, so it is fantastic to see that so many exciting initiatives and organisations will be showcasing the work they do to combat this. At Campaign to End Loneliness, we know that by working together we can inspire connection, tackle loneliness, and bring people together."

A host of other activities are also planned for the grounds of city hall and in businesses across the city.