Luton charity helping to combat loneliness as survey reveals 1 in 3 adults are suffering - and 1 in 5 feel distressed on a weekly basis

A survey conducted by leading social enterprise Turning Point revealed nearly 1 in 3 (30%) adults feel lonely, and that 1 in 5 people feel distressed on a weekly basis, increasing to 1 in 3 on a monthly basis.

Following the pandemic there is the lingering impact of the lockdowns as well as war, rising prices and ongoing climate challenges, which is all contributing to the nation’s deteriorating mental health. 

To help tackle this issue, Total Wellbeing Luton which is part of Turning Point, organised a range of activities during Mental Health Awareness Week (9-15 May 2022).

For people living with a mental health condition, stigma or difficulty socialising can cause feelings of loneliness, which in turn worsen their mental health. During Mental Health Awareness Week, Total Wellbeing Luton hosted loneliness webinars, held awareness stands in the Mall, and hosted loneliness workshops.  

Nazma Miah, Community Engagement, Outreach & Prevalence Manager, at Total Wellbeing in Luton said: “It has been great, especially having the stall in the Mall in Luton as we had lots of people engage with us and want to find out a bit more about the services we provide. It has been a really positive week and great to have a strong presence in the local community highlighting the topic of loneliness and how this affects mental health and wellbeing.”

Leigh-Anne Cruickshank, Service Manager added: “For many of us there is currently lots of anxiety and stress around the rising cost of living prices, from the cost of fuel through to worrying if you can afford to heat your house or eat this week. For some this is overwhelming and is severely damaging the mental health and wellbeing of local residents.”

“We provide a wide range of services that you can access which are designed to help people develop the tools and confidence to combat loneliness and reach out and build connections. Whilst it has been great raising awareness during this mental health awareness week we want to let the local community know that we are here all year long – not just during one week.”

For more information about Turning Point visit www.turning-point.co.uk