As Blue Monday dawns, Marmalade Trust wants to highlight that loneliness is a key contributor to the January blues.

Most of us suffer from the ‘Monday blues’ occasionally but the third Monday in January, dubbed Blue Monday, is apparently the most depressing day of the year. Reasons for this are said to be the arrival of credit card bills, the cold weather, the post-Christmas come down and the faltering of New Year resolutions.

According to a study from the Co-op and the Red Cross published last year, January is also the loneliest month of the year. And for an estimated 10 to 13% of pensioners, loneliness has sadly become a way of life.

Marmalade Trust Founder, Amy Perrin, said: “Millions of people in the UK can go days or weeks without any meaningful contact. We no longer live in tight-knit communities and we lead hectic lives which means it is all too easy for older or less mobile people to become socially isolated.

“The cost of loneliness is becoming a growing concern with GPs admitting that they see up to five patients each day due to them being lonely.

“And people who are lonely are thought to be 14% more likely to die early.”

Marmalade Trust agrees that a lot of people will experience loneliness more acutely this January than at other times of the year. Many will have been in contact with family and friends over the holiday season and when the festive cheer ends, they will be left on their own again and will truly feel the burden of social isolation.

As a relatively young but fast growing charity, Marmalade Trust has ambitious plans to help tackle loneliness and wants to make 2017 the year of new friendships.

Last year, the Bristol-based charity took 90 people who would otherwise have been alone out to lunch on Christmas Day. The majority of those will now be paired up with a ‘buddy’ who will attempt to re-socialise each one of them by finding them clubs and local activities that they might like to attend.

Amy said: “People who are lonely often feel trapped and don’t know how to get out of isolation. They are also completely unaware of what community activities are happening around them. We’re hoping that by ‘buddying’ them up, we can help them make those first steps back into the local community.

“Our volunteers will collate the information needed to help our guests find something they enjoy doing. Then, if needed, they will also accompany them on their first visit to alleviate any social anxiety our guests might have. For many, joining a group of strangers will feel really daunting and we want to be there every step of the way.”

For more information about Marmalade Trust and their work, please go to www.marmaladetrust.org

 Ends

 Notes to editors:

• Marmalade Trust works closely with local health professionals, public sector organisations, charities and community groups to support lonely and isolated people in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
• In 2013, Amy Perrin, a qualified occupational therapist, found out that three older people she volunteered with were going to be on their own on Christmas day so she offered to take them out for lunch. Word spread and three became 18. The Marmalade Trust was born.
• In 2014, Marmalade Trust welcomed 40 guests at Christmas. In 2015 the figure grew to 60 guests across three different Bristol locations and in 2016 there were no less than 90 guests across five locations.
• By catching those who are alone at Christmas, Marmalade Trust identifies those who are most isolated and vulnerable to loneliness. The charity then pairs them up with a buddy who will help re-socialise them by providing information and support.
• For more information visit: www.marmaladetrust.org

For media information contact:
Sarah-Jane Freni
Account Director
Shooting Star
0117 3131120
sarahjane@weareshootingstar.co.uk

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