It’s Loneliness Awareness Week next week (17-21 June) and the government also launches its #LetsTalkLoneliness campaign to help reduce the stigma associated with admitting to feeling lonely and the vital importance of social connections.
Our Self Care Social ‘Building Connections’ project is funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the National Lottery Community Fund to prevent or reduce loneliness in people with long term health conditions in Coventry. The aim is for all participants to experience a sense of connected community – and that is where Around the Kitchen Table comes in. It’s about getting people together over a shared interest or skill they’d like to learn together. Our video shows ‘Art Breakfast Club’ to give you an example.
We want to tackle isolation and loneliness by sparking the kind of community action that helps people to organise themselves and lead their own solutions. Getting people Around the Kitchen Table is the perfect chance to do this!
The toolkit consists of a set of questions and suggestions to help you think about how to get your own initiative started and it focuses on three areas:
- Purpose – what is it that you want to achieve?
- People – who do you need to gather around you to make this happen?
- Places – where can/will you gather?
In addition to the information, Grapevine’s Jen is also in the toolkit! A real-life person to chat your ideas through with and to help you create a successful Around the Kitchen Table. She can’t wait to hear your ideas – please contact her on jcooke@grapevinecovandwarks.org to get the full toolkit.