Isles MP Angus B MacNeil last week met with the Jo Cox Commission to raise awareness of loneliness in Na h-Eileanan an Iar. Jo set up the Commission, along with 13 organisations before she was murdered just over a year ago. The Commission is continuing her legacy by raising awareness about loneliness and working to try and reduce the stigma of being lonely.

Commenting Angus MacNeil MP said:

“A British Red Cross survey found one in five people said they always or often felt lonely.  It’s something I often see in Na h-Eileanan an Iar and I was proud to be part of the Great Get Together bringing people together. But being lonely isn’t just a feeling, it’s considered to be as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

“Many people link loneliness with older people, but that’s by no means the full picture. As Jo herself said, “Young or old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate” and it’s often linked with changes in our lives, moving to a new place, having a baby, retirement or redundancy, disability or ill health, becoming a carer or the end of a relationship.

“The Commission partners are holding spotlights through the year. In February, the Co-op launched research that found loneliness cost businesses £2.5 billion a year. During the age spotlight, Gransnet revealed that over half of their users who were lonely had never talked about it. Last month, the Royal Voluntary Society surprised many of us by finding that men reported 38 as the age they had the fewest friends. Spotlights on disability, carers, refugees and children and parents are to follow.

 “The Commission is working with Government, businesses and voluntary groups and will make recommendations on how to reduce loneliness. However we can all play our part. Loneliness is a problem in every street and within every family. That means all of us can do something to make someone feel less lonely today. We can start a conversation with a neighbour who we know is on their own, pick up the phone to a relative or friend you haven’t spoken to for a while, say hello to someone in the supermarket queue.

 “I’ve signed a pledge today to support the Commission in its aim to tackle loneliness – both in Na h-Eileanan an Iar and in my role in Parliament. You can pledge to start a conversation too through the Jo Cox website https://www.jocoxloneliness.org/pledge”

Ends

Notes

Jo Cox set up the Commission with Seema Kennedy MP before her death last year. It is now co-chaired by Seema and Rachel Reeves MP

 The Commission partners include Action for Children, Age UK, Alzheimer’s Society, The British Red Cross, The Campaign to End Loneliness, Carers UK, The Co-op, Eden Project Communities, Independent Age, Refugee Action, Royal Voluntary Service, Sense and The Silver Line.