Suffolk Libraries marks Loneliness Week

This week is Loneliness Awareness Week and Suffolk Libraries is highlighting the work it has been doing to tackle loneliness during lockdown and encouraging more conversations about loneliness.

Loneliness Awareness Week is an initiative by the Marmalade Trust, a charity that raises awareness of loneliness and helps people to make new connections. The event was launched four years ago to encourage people to speak about loneliness more openly.

Despite library buildings being closed, library staff have been busy running a vast range of online activities and making calls to older and vulnerable customers to check they’re ok. These services are typical of how Suffolk Libraries directly meets the challenges presented by loneliness.

Sarah Lungley, Wellbeing Manager says:

“Research last year found that several of our key activities tackle social isolation across the county. We know our services can make a big difference to people’s mental health and wellbeing. Although lockdown has provided a big challenge, we’ve worked hard to stay connected with people online and on the phone and we know it’s had a significant impact on helping people stay well.

“Although many people are staying in touch online there are still people out there who feel isolated or lonely and the aim of Loneliness Awareness Week is to encourage people to talk about how they feel.”

Suffolk Libraries’ Lifeline service has made nearly 5,700 calls to older and vulnerable customers during lockdown. The service recently received £2,500 of funding from the East of England Coop to enable staff to make more calls.

Southwold Library manager Charlotte Clark has been one of those making the calls. She said:

“The Suffolk Lifeline calls have been a pleasure and it’s lovely to keep in touch with the customers and feel you have made a difference to them. Some are just pleased that we are thinking of them, some have welcomed the chance to talk to a friendly voice and some have specific concerns and questions we can answer.”

Other staff have also reported that the Lifeline calls have really made a difference, particularly to those who are feeling isolated:

“So many people have been genuinely touched that we had taken the trouble to contact them during this awful time.”

“J said that the call was a lovely surprise and had made her day! She was chatty and we talked about the support she was getting. She said she was 80% ok, and this was such a wonderful thing that Suffolk Libraries were doing. She wanted another call from us as she does not speak to anyone much.”

Suffolk Libraries’ online activities during lockdown have helped to maintain a sense of community. As well as many regular activities for children and families, libraries have been running quizzes and discussions on films and books targeted at a broad range of Suffolk residents.

A good example of this outreach is at Haverhill Library who have kept in touch with their regular Top Time older people’s group online. Library staff realised that their regular Top Time members were missing face-to-face contact, especially as some of them were being shielded. They explored various ways of keeping in touch with the group, guiding them through the process of using apps they’d not used before and eventually having success with Zoom. The group have since celebrated birthdays and held quizzes together and everyone has made the best of a difficult situation.

Suffolk Libraries staff have also been helping each other by sharing stories of how they’re coping during lockdown.

The Marmalade Trust started Loneliness Awareness Week (LAW) 4 years ago to raise awareness of loneliness and encourage people to speak about it openly. You can join in the online discussion using #LetsTalkLoneliness

Suffolk Libraries has published a list of eBooks available from its eLibrary which explore the theme of loneliness. Suffolk Libraries’ New Chapters service has also compiled a list of useful online resources which can help with health and well-being issues.

For more information visit www.suffolklibraries.co.uk.