Lancashire County Council has announced that the cabinet is set to give the go-ahead for a new scheme to tackle loneliness.
In order to address loneliness in the over 50 age group, proposals are to be approved that will see a total of £100,000 of funding being awarded to numerous voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise organisations.
This drive to reduce loneliness follows on from a series of consultations and exercises, carried out by members of the council’s communities team. Through these consultations, the team were able to discover more about people’s experiences of being lonely, as well as what helps them to become more socially connected. With 107 people from across the region being consulted, the vast majority of people said that they were lonely due to personal reasons such as bereavement, or an absent family member. Reasons for their lack of sense of community include mental health, mobility, and chronic illness.
Councillor Peter Buckley, Cabinet Member for Community and Cultural Services, said:
“We are committed to helping individuals and local communities by tackling isolation and loneliness in all walks of life.
“This is why we are working hard with our partners in health care and our district councils to make this grant funding available for a range of projects which could really help alleviate loneliness and isolation.”
A number of other solutions were also identified through the consultations, with these including:
- More volunteers
- More transport options
- Central services
- Community events
- Improved accessibility
Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Michael Green, added:
“I am very pleased that we are going to award this vital funding for a range of events and activities aimed at tackling loneliness among the over 50s.
“Consultations have shown that loneliness and social isolation can have a very negative impact on people’s mental health and wellbeing, so this funding will help a whole range of events and activities to alleviate this.”
Image credit: iStock, Lancashire County Council
