Kettles & Conversations aims to combat Northamptonshire loneliness epidemic
A series of new meet-ups for older and more vulnerable people in the Hardingstone and Milton Malsor areas are set to launch in November.
The free Kettles & Conversations sessions, which will be run by Step Forward With Lewis CIC, aim to combat isolation and loneliness, as well as building community and friendships.
Featuring the chance to catch-up with friends and enjoy conversations over tea and coffee, the gatherings will each last one hour. Funded thanks to a grant from Northamptonshire Community Foundation, they will also include a series of talks providing a mix of local information and helpful tips from community experts.
Step Forward With Lewis CIC already provides six weekly strength and balance classes for older and more vulnerable people. These sessions, which take place in Hardingstone, Wootton, Milton Malsor and East Hunsbury, are also provided for free. Two further free specialist classes, one for those with cancer and another for people with Parkinson's, are held in Upton and at the Doddridge Centre in St James.
It was while holding these sessions that fitness instructor, Michelle Lewis, noticed that for many of those who attended the classes it would be one of the only times they left their homes all week. It is a symptom of a national loneliness epidemic that is sadly a part of everyday life in Northamptonshire.
Nationally, Age UK reports that seven per cent of adults aged 65 and over - around 940,000 people - are chronically lonely, while West Northamptonshire Council figures show a third of adult social care users report they lack the social contact they desire.
Michelle said: "The idea came after I spoke to one of my clients, who is in his 80s. He told me he expects to die by Christmas, not because he has any illness but out of loneliness.
"Life for him is watching TV at home and waiting to die. Our project would help him meet other people and provide him with reasons to live. This is a stark story, but is echoed by many people we have spoken to."
Kettles & Conversations is seen as an antidote to this issue, giving attendees something to look forward to and somewhere where they can connect with like-minded people. The sessions would also serve as a chance for anyone looking for opportunities to simply add another date to their social diary.
Events will originally take place twice a month in Hardingstone Village Hall and once a month at Milton Malsor Village Hall. The Hardingstone catch-ups will be held on Tuesday, November 10 and Tuesday, November 24, between 2.30-3.30pm; while the Milton Malsor gathering takes place between 3-4pm on Thursday, November 26.
No booking is required, but if anyone has any questions then they can email [email protected]. Dates of future sessions will be posted on the Step Forward With Lewis CIC Facebook page.