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Introduction to the new co-editor
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In this August edition I first wanted to first introduce myself. My name is Richard Gettings and I’m an Embedded Researcher at Doncaster Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC).
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My journey to this role encompassed 22 years as a police officer, in Hong Kong and the UK, being injured on duty and diagnosed with operationally-related Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
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At the heart of my lived experience trauma journey is loneliness, so I feel like I’m returning home to be now working alongside Campaign to End Loneliness colleagues, editing this monthly newsletter and carrying out various other supportive roles also.
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I’ve never edited a newsletter before, so please bear with me. Going forwards I’ll try to bring some of my lived experience into this newsletter, starting with a link to a blog that I was proud to take part in a couple of years ago discussing my own journey, later in this newsletter.
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What we are thinking about
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In Round 1 of our online survey (Delphi poll) we received input from over 250 people across the world that contributed to building a new framework that will change the way we define, conceptualise and operationalise chronic/loneliness.
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We’re pleased to invite you to take part in Round 2 of our Delphi study and to view and provide feedback to our new framework.
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This round builds on the insights from Round 1, as well as feedback gathered through recent discussions with a range of stakeholders. Our goal is to move closer to a shared understanding of what constitutes chronic/harmful loneliness—and how we can more effectively define and address it.
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In this second round, we are asking participants to:
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- Review and reflect on emerging themes from Round 1
- Provide feedback on a draft framework
- Share views on appropriate terminology
- Contribute any additional insights or evidence
Your expertise and perspective are incredibly valuable to this process. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete, and your responses will be entirely anonymous. Participation is voluntary, and you may skip any questions that you don’t feel equipped to answer.
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To take part in Round 2, please click this link: here
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We also warmly encourage you to share this link with anyone in your teams or networks who may have relevant knowledge or experience in this area.
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Thank you again for your contribution to this important work. Together, we hope to make meaningful progress in understanding and addressing chronic/harmful loneliness.
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If you would like to have a discussion about our new framework individually or with your team, please feel free to email me, we are currently in consultation with external partners until mid-September. Whether you are a person who experiences loneliness or an organisation working with lonely individuals across the life course, this is an opportunity to have your say .
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A new Marmalade Trust - Ipsos survey, marking Loneliness Awareness Week (9th – 15th June 2025) found that 61% of UK adults who have ever personally experienced feelings of loneliness have never told anyone they are feel lonely.
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You can read the report here and check out the Marmalade Trust Loneliness Awareness Week Impact Report here and website here.
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One of the most powerful themes from this year’s Reengage annual survey is the sense of mutual benefit; there is a real feeling of 'giving and receiving’, with older people gaining social connections and support, and volunteers gaining fulfilment, purpose, and joy. Read more here
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The Campaign to End Loneliness Roadshow
As you will have heard already, it was our plan to host the Campaign to End Loneliness conference this year in September.
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A number of individuals and organisations have contacted us to say that in the current financial climate the cost of both registering for the Campaign to End Loneliness annual conference, and travelling to it, is prohibiting them from attending.
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We don’t want to exclude anyone from attending and are committed to offering an in-person event in support our commitment to fostering greater social connections. We have therefore taken the decision to cancel the conference. Instead, we are planning a Campaign to End Loneliness Roadshow which will visit localities around the UK.
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These will be smaller local and/or regional events but will facilitate greater access and enable us to: raise awareness and understanding of loneliness; involve more people with lived experience of loneliness; share our evidence on loneliness and good practice; learn about what is working locally, and where the gaps in provision are; and create a mechanism for linking to governmental policy and to the new All Party Parliamentary Group on Tackling Loneliness and Community Connectedness.
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We hope that you will join us in this exciting new initiative at a locality near you in the months ahead. We will be back in touch in due course with dates and venues for our roadshow events.
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Podcasts
New to the Campaign to End Loneliness team, proud and excited to be here, I thought I’d give you all the opportunity to hear a podcast that I made in 2023 detailing my own journey through mental health and loneliness. Listen to it here I hope it helps raise awareness of loneliness within trauma and mental health from a lived experience perspective.
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Me, Myself & Isla - Lifting the lid on loneliness; a series of podcasts by Isla Stewart. Access them on Spotify here
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Tackling Loneliness Hub
As you know, The Campaign to End Loneliness co-leads the Tackling Loneliness Hub along with Neighbourly Lab. We’re currently preparing to deliver a series of specific webinars which are all about “Translating Research into Practice”. There will be some associated blogs too, so remember to follow the link here to register for the hub and receive reminders and invitations to these events.
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The webinars, and associated blogs, will cover a variety of topics related to loneliness; for instance ‘Loneliness Amongst NEET Young People’, ‘Loneliness and Volunteers’, ‘Loneliness and Motherhood’, ‘Loneliness; the role of Social Prescribing’, ‘Loneliness and Work’ with other titles to be announced moving forwards.
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Providing opportunities & spaces to chat
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Age UK Norwich has launched its second 'Happy to Chat' bench, strategically located within the serene grounds of Norwich Cathedral. This initiative, aimed at combating social isolation and loneliness, has been made possible through the generous support of The People Kit and Leathes Prior. Read more here
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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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Australian Not-for-profit community services and aged care provider Uniting NSW.ACT urged people to take action on loneliness among older adults this Loneliness Awareness Week in Australia, which ran from 4-10 August.
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This year’s theme was Moments Matter and Uniting NSW.ACT used the week to remind people that for many older adults loneliness is a part of everyday life, not just a passing feeling.
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Read the full article here
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A recent academic paper published by George Pavlidis, Institute for Social and Psychological Studies, Karlstad University, Karlstad, Sweden discussing the ‘Loneliness Paradox’ can be viewed here
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In a decisive global health milestone, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched its first-ever flagship report on social connection, titled “From Loneliness to Social Connection: Charting a Path to Healthier Societies,” following the historic resolution adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2025. This move formally recognizes loneliness and social isolation as pressing global health threats on par with smoking and obesity in terms of health risks. Read this as part of the recently published Social Connection as a Core Component of Population Health in Africa report recently published here
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Photo of the month
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A suggestion from myself, moving forwards, is to perhaps include a monthly newsletter photo of the month; a photo which epitomises what this newsletter, what the Campaign To End Loneliness and our fantastic, and ever growing, community is all about.
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A photo that makes us all smile, which inspires us and which encourages us to all drive forwards together supporting those living with loneliness. Let us know your thoughts please and if this is an idea that has traction then we’ll include it going forwards.
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As a starter, above is our first photograph for the August newsletter.
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The Campaign's co-Director Andrea Wigfield was at Leicester City at the weekend supporting her club Sheffield Wednesday. She says supporting her team enables her to benefit from a sense of belonging and community connectedness. She can be surrounded by strangers and yet still feel connected.
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Let us have your photos for the September newsletter and we’ll choose one to be published. Thank you.
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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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An article in Psychology Today discussing systemic isolation, it’s characteristics and how to release ourselves from it.
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An article by Mary Opii (The Diaspora Diary) that discusses ‘Love and loneliness – dating, marriage and emotional survival’ amongst the UK Nigerian community.
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An article in Newsweek discussing millennials, the ‘plan-cancel culture’ and it’s link to
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Dates for your diary
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The Baton of Hope 2025 tour commences in Blackpool on 1st September, visiting locations around the UK, Check out dates and locations here
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APPG on Tackling Loneliness and Connected Communities
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Date: Tuesday 9th September 2025
Yearly Theme: Loneliness Across the Life Course
Inquiry Theme: Intergenerational Connection as a Pathway to Tackle Loneliness Across Society
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Co-Chairs: Paul Davies MP and Lord Shaun Bailey
Secretariat: Intergenerational England (supported by the Campaign to End Loneliness)
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If you have dates, of local events centred around loneliness, that you would like included within this newsletter each month let us know on info@campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk
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That’s it for another month!
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We hope you have enjoyed this August newsletter. Please let us know your thoughts, give us your feedback on info@campaigntoendloneliness.org.uk and let’s evolve and move forward on this journey, supporting those experiencing loneliness, together.
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Enjoy the rest of your summer, if you’re going away have a fantastic time, if you’re staying at home make the best of this fantastic weather we’re currently having. Either way look after yourselves and take care. Until the September newsletter we bid you farewell.
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Richard & the Campaign to End Loneliness team
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