Age NI’s Dr Paschal McKeown, Marie Curie’s Craig Harrison, British Red Cross’s Mary Friel, MLA Paula Bradley, Carer NI’s Clare-Anne Magee, British Red Cross’s Sharon Sinclair, RCGP’s Dr Grainne Doran and British Red Cross’s Elizabeth Boyd.

Red Cross Stormont Event Tackles Loneliness

The British Red Cross organised a special Tackling Loneliness at Major Life Transitions event at Stormont ahead of Valentine’s Day, urging cross-party political representatives to join experts from across the sector to take action against loneliness.
Sunday / 17 February 2019 9:02pm

At the event the Red Cross was joined by the Public Health Agency (PHA), Carer’s NI, Marie Curie, Age NI, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Family Support Hub to share experiences and interventions, examine policy and loneliness strategies from elsewhere in the UK and Ireland and highlight that loneliness doesn’t discriminate.

 

British Red Cross Policy and Public Affairs Officer Mary Friel said: “It’s now recognised that loneliness can affect anyone at all ages and all stages in life. Life circumstances can change in the blink of an eye, meaning it can happen to anyone, no matter your age or background.

 

“British Red Cross research shows one in five people in Northern Ireland describe themselves as always or often lonely, yet only 52% of adults know where to turn for help*.

 

“We also know from our research that people are at a higher risk when going through transitions in life or when experiencing major life altering events such as becoming a new parent, becoming a carer, following bereavement, following a health crisis, a decline in mobility, retirement or when a relationship breaks down, divorce or separation.

 

“These are important issues and today we are highlighting the need for us all to come together to play our part in helping tackle loneliness. Together we can help build better connections where all of us feel welcome and valued and where we all feel we have someone we can turn to, no matter where we live or with whom.”

 

The British Red Cross are there every day for people, providing services across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK for those who are alone and isolated helping them connect with their communities.

 

Whether that’s providing dedicated support and companionship to vulnerable people at home; lending a wheelchair so people are able to get around following a health crisis; supporting refugees to become valued members of their community, reuniting families that have been displaced, or inviting people to join us in building kinder, more connected communities across Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK – the Red Cross is there.

 

For more information on the British Red Cross please visit www.redcross.org.uk/connect

Last updated 5 years 1 month ago

British Red Cross

https://www.redcross.org.uk