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Winter Wellbeing – social isolation

30th October 2013 @ 6:06am – by Cheshire East Council
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Cheshire East Council and its partners are offering a range of advice and support to residents on how to keep warm, well and safe this winter.

This week, we look at what the Council and partners are doing to raise awareness of social isolation as the nights draw in.

Cheshire East Council and its partners in the Ageing Well programme are taking the initiative as they look to tackle the problem of 'social isolation'.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has stated that the country has 'utterly failed to confront' the problem of loneliness as more than 800,000 people are said to be lonely in England. But the Council wants to highlight the issue with community leaders in the region at support events in Nantwich and Tytherington next month.

Census 2011 tells us that there has been a 16 per cent increase in the number of people who live alone in Cheshire East from Census 2001. There are 47,328 single person households in the Borough compared to 40,919 a decade earlier.

And with the number of people aged 75 and over predicted to increase by 4,200 by 2020, there highlights the potential of a growing problem.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Winter Wellbeing spokeswoman, said: "It is at times like this, when the nights are drawing in and Christmas gets closer, that we naturally want to be surrounded by families and friends.

"But research says that, nationally, five million people state that television is their main form of company. This is something that needs to be addressed.

"In Cheshire East, we really want to try and make a difference, which is why we are hosting these events in which community leaders can share ideas about how they can make a difference to people's lives.

"There is much good work already being done but we must do more. I hope these events will also encourage participants to make pledges of further support."

Sean Reynolds, Chairman of the Cheshire East Safeguarding Adults Board, added: "This is a good opportunity to share ideas and actions locally to help combat social isolation."

The 'Link, Act, Connect' events will be held at Richmond Village, Nantwich from 10am-1pm on Friday, November 8 and Tytherington Family Worship Church, Macclesfield, from 10am-1pm on Friday, November 15.

They are an initiative of a task group set up by the Ageing Well programme board to address loneliness and isolation more consistently (in the winter months and beyond) and are open to leaders in the community who want to learn new ideas to reach more people who feel alone.

Leaders of churches, and other faith groups, charity and community group leaders, pastoral and community workers and parish or town councillors are among those invited. Anybody interested in attending should email: alison.ratcliffe@cheshireeast.gov.uk


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