Skip to content
  Wednesday 29 June 2022
Trending
28 August 2019Adult Education – Why You Should Never Stop Learning! 27 February 2019Indelible Impressions 25 February 2020M&H Distillery: Pioneer of the Israeli Whisky Revolution 29 October 2020Football x Food 30 April 2015Wigton Moor Primary School Celebrates 50th Anniversary 3 May 2017On The Hour 25 July 2021Home Instead Senior Care 29 September 2020Straight Talks Swedish Vegans in Photography Book Launch 25 February 2020Medici of Manchester Opens The Friendship Circle Art Exhibition 28 July 2021AM-AM Golf Day Fundraiser Returns
  • VISIT JLIFE MANCHESTER
  • VISIT JLIFE LEEDS
JLife Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine Issues
  • Content
    • Features
    • Community News
    • Blog
    • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Advertise in JLife Manchester
  • Featured Businesses
  • Contact – Manchester
JLife Magazine
JLife Magazine
  • Home
  • Magazine Issues
  • Content
    • Features
    • Community News
    • Blog
    • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Advertise in JLife Manchester
  • Featured Businesses
  • Contact – Manchester
  • VISIT JLIFE MANCHESTER
  • VISIT JLIFE LEEDS
JLife Magazine
  Manchester Community News  Making Connections
Manchester Community News

Making Connections

jlifejlife—2 May 20190
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedInTumblrRedditVKWhatsAppEmail

The Fed reveals its widespread campaign to tackle loneliness across the generations in Manchester. Names in this article are changed to protect client identity.

 

“Loneliness is a curse,” says 92 year-old Irene. Irene is one of many people in the community who receive help from The Fed’s volunteer services team: “You get days when you don’t see anybody at all,” she continued. “I live on my own.

“The people who come from The Fed have been absolutely brilliant. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t see anybody at all. A phone call or someone coming to see me can make all the difference for me during the week.”

Last year, the government announced a new strategy to combat loneliness among older people. According to some reports, more than 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in over a month. The scourge of loneliness is not new to The Fed and the battle to reduce it is part and parcel of our daily work with people of all ages, not just older people.

People from all walks of life can suddenly find themselves isolated, as family move away, as they face redundancy or marriage breakdown. In some extreme cases, loneliness can take over a person’s entire existence – destroying their self-confidence and leaving them craving human contact.

Sara Ogden-Thompson, The Fed’s community advice and support team (CAST) manager, explains further: “One of our clients, Mrs Green, has no family of her own at all. Both her boyfriend and her brother have died, and she was completely alone, without any human interaction for weeks on end. Distressed, and in need of complex mental health support, this lady would call our offices sometimes 50 times in a single day, desperate for someone to relieve her utter loneliness.

Through our services, Mrs Green now receives regular home visits and daily calls from our CAST and volunteer teams, alongside other specialist services based on the referral which we made to them.”

More stories

Tackling Everest for Friendship Circle

10 March 2020

Bernie’s Chair

29 August 2018

Review: FROM SLAVERY TO FREEDOM [UK Jewish Film Festival 2019]

22 November 2019

Medici of Manchester Opens The Friendship Circle Art Exhibition

25 February 2020

The Fed’s team of volunteers don’t carry out their duties simply to help others, however. Volunteer Debra Fried helps combat her own loneliness by helping others every Thursday in the Purple Room at Heathlands Village. In fact, her entire week hinges on the time she spends at the Heathlands Village-based venue. She said: “You walk into the mental health drop-in centre and everybody greets you. I would never give it up. It’s like a second family.”

The mental health drop-in also offers a place to socialise, a warm evening meal, a varied activity programme plus advice and support. It is held two evenings a week in the Purple Room. Debra continued: “It’s nice to know that you can be there for someone who is going through a similar thing to you.

“The spectre of loneliness is always there, and you can’t avoid that – I tend not to go to Bar Mitzvahs or weddings anymore because I dread coming home. Being part of The Fed, you forget that you’re going home to an empty house.”

The Fed also supports for several clients in South Manchester, many of whom wanted to remain independent but felt totally cut off until The Fed stepped in.

“One of our clients in the south is a lady who survived the Holocaust,” Sara continued. “She knew nothing at all of The Fed and was completely removed from the community.

“After finding CAST online, she contacted my team because she felt she was in need of assistance, and now receives regular support, both from The Fed and the Association of Jewish Refugees – again based on our referral.”

But loneliness is not limited to adults and older people. Children with disabilities can find themselves ostracised by their peers because of their differences and can grow up having never being invited to a sleepover or to play after school. Parents too feel the pain of their child being ostracised and can feel like the odd one out in the playground at pick-up time.

Carol Booth, The Fed’s Children’s Centre play leader, explains: “We take for granted that all children grow up making friends and regularly mixing with other children but sadly that’s not the case for many children with special needs. Our summer play schemes and weekly groups bring children together to socialise, have fun, and build confidence and friendships.

We hold birthday parties – some of which are the very first that children have been invited to, be it their own or someone else’s – and we create a space where every child feels welcome, included and has a sense of belonging.”

Regular phone contact, befrienders to rely on, a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on – The Fed provides the full package to those most in need.

“One gentleman – a man in his 50s – recently celebrated a birthday,” said Sara. “He called us shortly afterwards, thanking us for the card we sent him. It was the only one he received.

“Research shows that loneliness is a bigger killer than smoking, or addiction to alcohol. Our aim is to make sure nobody ever feels like they have no-one to turn to.”

 

CharityCommunityManchesternewNorthThe Fed
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedInTumblrRedditVKWhatsAppEmail
Summer Shopping at Manchester Fort
Israel Vision; Eurovision Song Contest 2019
Related posts
  • Related posts
  • More from author
Manchester Community News

Charity Launches Support Program

17 May 20220
Manchester Community News

Funding Offered for Film Makers

17 May 20220
Manchester Community News

Prestwich Entrepreneur Launches Snack Brand

3 May 20220
Load more
Get more stuff

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.

Read also
Featured Business Manchester

Rose at Hope Mill Theatre and Park Theatre

29 June 20220
Leeds Community News

West Yorkshire Mayor Visits LJWB

13 June 20220
Leeds Community News

Talking Tax

13 June 20220
Features-Leeds

Tech Talk

13 June 20220
Features-Leeds

Time for a Recharge

13 June 20220
Features-Leeds

Treat Yourself

13 June 20220
Load more
Recent Posts
  • Rose at Hope Mill Theatre and Park Theatre
  • West Yorkshire Mayor Visits LJWB
  • Talking Tax
  • Tech Talk
  • Time for a Recharge
    JLife Magazine
    JLife Magazine is a community magazine for the people of Leeds and Manchester. Originally created for the Jewish community, it now has a wider outreach and regularly features news, events and more for the local community & businesses.

    # TRENDING

    LeedsManchesterInterviewJewishNewsCommunityCharityBusiness2018TravelIsraelLJWBJLifeNorth LeedsHealthLifestyleUJIATheatreThe FedRestaurants
    © Copyright Nuts for Print 2021, All Rights Reserved
    • About Us
    • Terms and Conditions