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Here comes the sun
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As spring settles in and Easter approaches, longer days become filled with sunshine, gardens beginning to bloom, and a gentle invitation to reconnect with the world around us. It's a time when nature grows more vibrant and possibilities feel just a little more within reach.
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Loneliness can be especially hard to face in times that are meant to feel joyful. But this season offers a moment to pause, reflect, and begin again, whether that means reaching out to someone new, reconnecting with old friends, or simply finding small ways to feel more connected each day.
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Whether you're looking to build new relationships or strengthen existing ones, this season is full of small openings for growth, warmth, and companionship.
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In this month’s edition, we at the Campaign have included details of work we and others have been doing to tackle loneliness.
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What we are thinking about
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Are you passionate about understanding and addressing loneliness? Or have you personally experienced loneliness and want to contribute to shaping solutions?
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We are conducting an online survey to explore when and how loneliness becomes harmful, and we need YOUR insights!
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The prevailing hypothesis in the literature is that temporary or transitionary forms of loneliness are unpleasant experiences but serving an adaptive function, whereas loneliness that endures, usually labelled as ‘chronic loneliness’, would be problematic and harmful. However, although the term is widely used, there currently is no clear definition of chronic loneliness and it is conceptualized and operationalized in the academic and grey literature in very diverse ways. To move the field forward, it is essential to reach consensus on a shared definition of chronic loneliness.
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The survey will should take no longer than 5 minutes, and you can access it using the link below.
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Samaritans Scotland recently launched their report “Paid Yesterday, Broke Today” which looks at the impact of financial and employment insecurity on suicidal behaviour and action.
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Participants shared their experiences of feeling the pressure of insufficient pay and poverty, of the stigma placed on them when reaching out for financial support, and of the sense of being trapped in debt. Participants highlighted the importance of social connection as a protective factor against suicidal behaviour and action, and talked about the key supports they found in their community, family and friends.
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You can read the full report in the link below.
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Creating Connections is a campaign from Sanctuary Care to highlight the extraordinary power of community connections in creating a true sense of belonging - one that enriches lives in profound and lasting ways.
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Professor Andrea Wigfield has helped inform the consumer research that Sanctuary Care have conducted, and here’s what she had to say about social connections and loneliness:
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“Meaningful social connections are fundamental to us as human beings. They improve our sense of well-being, contribute to our quality of life and have the potential to have important benefits for our physical health. Meaningful social relationships can act as a buffer to loneliness, helping us to become more resilient, especially at points of transition in our lives.
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The research reinforces a growing body of evidence that strong connections with our local community, and the places and spaces where we live and interact, can bring a sense of belonging, which can help sustain us through the challenges and joys of ageing.”
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This article details how Rose Ayling-Ellis, who you might recognise from Strictly Come Dancing, has recently been involved in a project to teach elderly resident village residents British Sign Language. The project is featured in a recent two-part documentary for the BBC.
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The project highlights how loneliness and social isolation can manifest in different ways, and the approaches we can take to help with these feelings in different environments. It makes for an interesting and uplifting watch!
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Check out this social discovery and hobby app hybrid, Loop. Host or discover 1 to 1 social activities happening nearby you within the next 3 hours. Do something in-the-moment. Be spontaneous. No lengthy planning or messaging required! It might just be the start of some beautiful friendships!
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We’ve shared details about Time to Talk in recent editions of our newsletter. The group are holding a sweepstake for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, as a way of fundraising so that they can continue to do the great work they do.
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You can find out more below.
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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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This article from BBC Brazil gives some explanation of the difference between loneliness and social isolation, and taking some time for yourself.
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The article includes insight from our own Professor Andrea Wigfield, and provides a useful way to remind ourselves that being alone doesn’t always mean being lonely.
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The article is written in Portuguese but can be translated to English.
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In South Korea, national library day was on April 12th, and Library week runs from April 12th to April 18th.
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Professor Andrea Wigfield was invited to deliver a talk about the role that libraries can play in tackling loneliness, hosted at the National Library of Korea.
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You can find the English recording of the event in the link in the title, but the link below should take you directly to Andrea's presentation, which begins around 1:29:10.
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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 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can lead to greater loneliness in adulthood, and how this can also be a predictor increased mortality risk.
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Read the full article below.
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This article points out that social connections have significantly declined in both the U.S. and the UK, leading to increased division and disengagement. It emphasises the necessity of fostering mutual respect and connection to address this global crisis of belonging.
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You can read the full article below.
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This article examines how loneliness might be a major contributor to older individuals in Ireland seeking third sector organisational support, from mental health charities for instance.
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You can read more below.
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This article from the Guardian details how studies by OpenAI and the MIT Media Lab suggest that heavy users of ChatGPT tend to experience increased loneliness and emotional dependence on the AI tool, often having fewer offline social relationships.
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You can real the full article below.
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Dates for your diary
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April
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Event: IAVE – Volunteering: An Antidote to the Epidemic of Loneliness
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More information/registration: This talk has already taken place, but you can find a recording of the session below:
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Event: Tackling Loneliness Hub – Coffee Catch Up
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Event: Global Intergenerational Week
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Date: April 24th-30th 2025
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May
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Event: International Certificate in Intergenerational Practice (8 week online course). Generations Working Together.
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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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Event: NIAS-Lorentz Program, Leiden. Workshop to advance understanding of when and how loneliness becomes harmful.
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Place: Leiden, Netherlands.
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