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Spring into new connections
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As spring arrives, so does the promise of new beginnings, and new connections.
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The longer days and brighter evenings invite us to step outside and reconnect. Just as nature bursts into life with fresh greenery and blooming flowers, this season offers an opportunity to nurture our own social connections and strengthen our sense of belonging.
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Loneliness can feel isolating, but meaningful connections can make all the difference, whether through a friendly chat, a shared interest, or a new community activity. This month, we highlight exciting new opportunities to contribute to research on loneliness, as well as artistic and community efforts to increase awareness of the topic.
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We invite you to read this year’s first spring edition of the newsletter, and hope you’ll find inspiration for how to get involved in the ongoing campaign to end loneliness.
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What we are thinking about
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Four fully funded PhD scholarships available at Sheffield Hallam University
There are four new PhD positions, supervised by our co-directors, available for those interested in the subject of loneliness, forming social connections, and childhood development.
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The scholarships are for three and a half years full-time study and cover PhD fees and pays an annual stipend at the living wage foundation rate of £20,974 per year in the academic year 24/25. Please email Antonia (a.ypsilanti@shu.ac.uk) or Andrea (andrea.wigfield@shu.ac.uk) for further information.
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These positions offer interesting opportunities in a variety of subjects which involve the topic of social connection, so if you or anyone you know is interested in undertaking a PhD around the subject of loneliness, take a look at the four links below:
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Position 1 - (Deadline 28th March) - Psychology PhD scholarship: Neural Basis of Loneliness and Belonginess
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Position 2 - (Deadline 31st March) - SCYPHeR Scholarship in the Institute of Social Sciences (Sheffield Children’s Hospital, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University): Understanding and measuring loneliness in children with cystic fibrosis and their carers
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Position 3 - (Deadline 14th March) - Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) PhD scholarship in the School of Health and Social Care: Understanding economic abuse and social relationships among women with disability in the UK
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Position 4 - (Deadline 14th March) - Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) PhD scholarship - Exploring identity building and reducing loneliness in children and young people with neuromuscular conditions
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From the producers of I, Daniel Blake, Sorry We Missed You and The Old Oak - the award-winning debut feature by Edinburgh-based filmmaker Laura Carreira arrived in cinemas on 7 March. It tells the story of Aurora, a Portuguese migrant working as a warehouse picker in Edinburgh.
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Trapped between the confines of a vast distribution centre and the solitude of her own bedroom, Aurora seeks out every opportunity to resist the alienation and isolation that threaten her sense of self.
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“Crafted with painstaking care, and features two strong lead performances that are thoughtfully translated to the screen by an empathetic lens” – Screen International
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Winner: Best Director, San Sebastián International Film Festival 2024
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Winner: Sutherland Award, BFI London Film Festival 2024
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We shared details about this initiative in our October 2024 Newsletter but wanted to highlight what a great resource this is and gives everyone an opportunity to attend an event to help develop social connections, as well as provide a space for people to post their own events.
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The tool on the site gives you information about events happening within 15 miles of the address you provide, so take a look if you’re interested in joining an event to cultivate some new social connections.
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Sunday 9 March 2025 was the Day of Reflection across the UK for the COVID-19 pandemic.
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It was an opportunity to come together to remember those who lost their lives since the pandemic began and to honour the tireless work and acts of kindness shown during this unprecedented time.
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If you missed it, or would like to reflect in your own way, you can find out more about the Day of Reflection in the Guidance Pack on the Day of Reflection website.
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Tips to help with loneliness
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Find our latest collection of tips to help manage feelings of loneliness in our blog post on the link below.
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Loneliness Around the Globe
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CTEL and the Royal Danish Embassy
The Campaign’s co-directors will be moderating an event on youth loneliness to discuss approaches to address loneliness in both the UK and Denmark later this month.
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We’ll have more to share about this in our next newsletter, but we’re excited for the opportunity to share ideas, and to increase awareness and methods to reduce loneliness across the globe.
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On our reading list
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We have a collection of interesting articles we’ve found this month on the subject of loneliness. Some academic journals articles might not be available in full, but the abstract will give a good overview of the paper for everyone.
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This article highlights how loneliness can be a risk factor for cognitive decline in a variety of different populations across the world.
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The conclusion demonstrates how important it is to address feelings of loneliness throughout the lifespan to promote healthy ageing.
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This article for the Guardian Australia gives an account of experiencing loneliness and bereavement, and gives some helpful advice and tips for how to manage these feelings.
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This article examines how different types of adverse experiences in young people can be associated with loneliness. This increased loneliness tends to be generally associated with adverse experiences, but some experiences might be more at risk of feeling lonely.
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Bereavement and loneliness can also follow the loss of a beloved pet. This article for the Independent has some advice if you or someone you know has recently experienced this.
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Dates for your diary
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Event: Campaign to End Loneliness Conference – Save the date
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Place: Sheffield Hallam University – Owen Building
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More information: Our Annual Conference is happening!
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The Campaign to End Loneliness are announcing its Annual Conference, which will be held at Sheffield Hallam University, on the 10th of September 2025.
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Stay tuned, more details will follow.
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Event: Linking Lives UK - Loneliness and the way out
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Event: Intergenerational England – Access All Ages Music Event - celebrate people, diversity, inclusion and intergenerational collaboration through music.
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Place: Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley St, Manchester, M2 3WS
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