Local group building stronger communities this Loneliness Awareness Week
A West Yorkshire community group is opening its doors and offering a friend to those in need during Loneliness Awareness Week this week.
14th June 2023
Local group building stronger communities this Loneliness Awareness Week
A West Yorkshire community group is opening its doors and offering a friend to those in need during Loneliness Awareness Week this week.
Fountains Church provides weekly drop-in sessions in Bradford, and has been supported through a grant from the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s Safer Communities Fund. This scheme takes money seized from criminals and grants it to community projects across the region.
Staffed by a team of volunteers, the sessions at Fountain’s Church aim to build a sense of community and friendship. They offer wellbeing support, a free meal, and some quality time with their trusty therapy dog, Dougal.
As this week is Loneliness Awareness Week and in the wake of new research showing that 85% of UK adults have experienced loneliness within the last 12 months*, the Mayor is encouraging residents to reach out to those around them.
Mayor Tracy Brabin said:
“Loneliness Awareness Week is an opportunity for us all to reach out to those around us.
“From a friendly smile, to a cuppa with our nearest and dearest, we can all play our part to help combat loneliness.
“It is great that our Safer Communities Fund is able to strengthen the bonds of our communities in West Yorkshire at this time.”
Reverend Linda Maslen, Fountains Church Leader, said:
“The Mayor’s Safer Communities Fund has enabled us to extend our work with communities here in Bradford.
“Thanks to our fantastic team of staff and volunteers, our drop ins provide more than just a hot meal; they are an opportunity for people to come together and start conversations (and meet our lovely therapy dog Dougal!)
“Real connection matters, and that’s what we aim to give people at our sessions.”
Since 2022, Mayor Brabin has granted over £1 million to 173 projects across the region. Other initiatives supporting mental health in West Yorkshire include psychotherapy sessions for formerly homeless people in Calderdale and Kirklees, self-confidence workshops for young people in Bradford, and a support hub for veterans in Wakefield.
Find out more about the fund: www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/mscf
*According to a survey from Nextdoor in partnership with Marmalade Trust 2023