Stuart Anderson, South Shropshire’s Conservatives Parliamentary Candidate, has thrown his support behind a new campaign aimed at reducing the stigma of loneliness and increasing knowledge of where to find support. The 2024 Loneliness Campaign, led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, is part of ‘Better Health: Every Mind Matters’ and aims to reduce loneliness stigma, which so often prevents people from reaching out and accessing support.
The campaign aims to shift the perception of loneliness away from being negative or shameful towards more positively framed language which normalises feelings of loneliness and encourages taking action. It reminds people it is OK to feel lonely, and encourages everyone to take action to help themselves and others. This year, it has expanded its focus to include 16-34 year olds, and explicitly encourages people to take actions to help themselves (rather than focusing solely on helping others).
Stuart said that he wants to ensure that community infrastructure is developed in rural areas like Shropshire as part of his plan to improve public services. This looks at issues such as transport, connectivity, and community in a rural context by empowering social connections and addressing social isolation and loneliness. Already his campaign has seen increased funding for public services with £136 million for local transport in Shropshire announced earlier this week, helping to level up connectivity across the county.
Stuart Anderson said: “Social isolation can be particularly prevalent in rural areas, so I am pleased to support this campaign led by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to reduce the stigma associated with loneliness, which so often prevents people from reaching out and accessing support. As part of my plan, I want to improve public services and build a more connected Shropshire. This starts with putting the infrastructure in place to enable better social connections, so I will continue to campaign for the funding that Shropshire needs to deliver on this, with £136 already secured for better local transport across the county.”
Minister for Loneliness Stuart Andrew said: “We know that young people are the age group most affected by loneliness but they’re also the least likely to take action to support themselves. Our latest campaign will encourage young people to talk about their experiences, aiming to break down the stigma that so often prevents people from getting support. Everyone should know they are not alone and help is available.”
The Every Mind Matters website (Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk) includes practical advice on coping with money worries and job uncertainty, and provides links to a range of voluntary organisations that provide mental health support, such as CALM and Hub of Hope, and to organisations such as Mental Health and Money Advice, a United Kingdom-wide service that combines support for both mental health and financial problems.
