Combating loneliness gives 'so much joy'

A charity has set up a campaign to stop older people feeling lonely during the summer months when routines can be disrupted by holidays.

Age UK Norfolk is aiming to combat loneliness through a new project called Together This Summer.

It wants to encourage people to check in on their neighbours or volunteer to become a "befriender".

Volunteer Bethany Victory said it had given her "so much joy" to provide someone with much-needed company during a weekly phone call.

"The individual I have a call with lives by themself, so when I call and it's at the set time, you can just hear them at the start of the call and they might be feeling a bit flat... but they're having a giggle by the end of it," she said.

"They genuinely say back to me, 'You've really brightened my day, thank you so much. I feel so much happier now'."

Victory said the calls became an important part of her friend's week as they were isolated due to mobility issues and their life mainly revolved around medical appointments.

The pair spent 20 minutes chatting each week and Victory said she felt they had now struck up a genuine friendship.

She said her father's death in 2023 reminded her of how she had always wanted to do some volunteering.

The 20-minute phone calls perfectly fit round her busy life, she explained.

Jo Asbury, head of community and wellbeing at Age UK Norfolk, said: "Loneliness can affect people at any time of year, but summer can be especially difficult for older people whose usual routines or social contact change."

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