Connecting Neighbourhoods to End Loneliness
…and a fitting end to 2020
Social media and the internet has afforded us boundless access to information and connection like no other age of humanity has known. However, what would have broken the internet last week if it wasn’t broken already, was that Google was down.
I was in the middle of using Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Mail, editing on YouTube (owned by Google) and goodness if you were journeying within tiers relying on Google Maps following a blue line, you’ll have noticed that online chaos ensued. You couldn’t even Google if Google was working!
Millions couldn’t connect, find information, couldn’t work (for a few hours) and then with #Instagramdown on Friday, people couldn’t share pictures of their Christmas Tree shaped Avocados on Toast, but and as I assumed, some very hard working nerds in California were tapping away at breakneck speeds fixing the issue and as I imagined it didn’t take long to fix.
But not knowing when we’d be back online and headlines declaring #Googledown Doom, I declared it a ‘Snow Day’ for myself.
At the end of this year, with the odds so greatly stacked up against us and no work around for this flaming Corona shaped hump in the road, without guilt and maybe with a little resignation; I shut the lid of my laptop. Like during the first lockdown, I left my phone at home and I went out for a walk to leave the news behind, to encounter some solitude, to ponder the fact that being unable to communicate - was news!
You, know what else should be news? The epidemic of loneliness in our communities.
If we’re one of the most connected civilisations of all time, why are so many people still lonely and what can we do about it?
One of my reasons for creating Lend and Tend was to encourage people to look away from their devices and go outside, to notice places in their neighbourhoods that could be garden-able and to help people of all ages re-engage with nature.
I also thought by Garden-Sharing we could connect more people and combat loneliness.
Loneliness is increasing, because of you-know-what-19; and not for just elderly people. It’s single parents, people who have families many 1000’s miles away and now, its people who are stranded from family and friends now we’re restricted within our ‘tiers’.
Maybe you’re experiencing loneliness now for the first time, or you’ve been dealing with loneliness for a long time, but for you I am committed to continuing into 2021, helping people get together. My hope is that Lend and Tend can be useful to help bring an end to unnecessary loneliness and might even help people connect via Garden-Sharing and even grow food .
For a majority of lucky people who own gardens, this year we became ‘A Nation of Gardeners’. Many gardeners like Rajul Shah shared stories with me how they got to know their neighbours from spending more time in their front as well as back gardens.
But for many people, who might not have gardens or have a garden they can’t manage; isolating, shielding, living in rural areas, loneliness is a crippling reality. On BBCs Christmas episode of Countryfile; The British Red Cross head of health and resilience policy, Olivia Field spoke about people experiencing loneliness in rural areas more than ever.
Loneliness also happens in cities and suburbs too.
Over the summer months when it was delightful to go out, nice weather made it easy to walk a little out of your way to check on a neighbour, but during the winter months, voluntary organisations see numbers of volunteers drop and for people in cities; in flats with no garden fence to chat over, it means long periods of being alone.
I thought this pandemic would bring about the end of garden-sharing and herald the end for Lend and Tend.
However, it heartens me to see even small numbers signing up regardless. Having given it a lot of thought, over worries about Lenders and Tenders’ safety, I’ve wanted to continue operations as long as safe and practicable, so please always follow social distancing guidelines and only visit gardens that can be accessed without entering the garden Lender’s home.
Any gardener will tell you that gardening is an all year round long activity to pursue with boundless enjoyable and healthy benefits to ones mental health, too. For both garden Tender and garden Lender.
So, please don’t go another year being lonely if you’re feeling cooped-up without a garden or are alone and have a garden to share, you could be Patch-Matched with someone who might be lonely too, and would like to garden-share with you.
As so many of you still want to share your space, utilise your unloved gardens and get to know people in your neighbourhoods; for you, no matter how hard it snows or what ever Corona-shaped curve balls come my way I am going to continue on my garden-sharing mission for you all.
From the bottom of someone else’s garden, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for all of your support and encouragement and every ounce of interest in garden-sharing this year.
If you’re or someone you know is experiencing loneliness please tell them about Garden-Sharing and the prospect meeting people with Lend and Tend.
Please also pass on these resources below from Welbeing.org
The charity Re-engage has launched ‘call companions’ – a free service for older people who live alone and feel they could do with a friendly phone call every week or two.
The Campaign to End Loneliness has great tips and advice for staying connected if you’re shielding.
Comedian Sarah Millican leads a Twitter campaign for anyone starting to worry about being alone/lonely on Christmas Day, using the hashag #JoinIn, now in its 10th year.
Call The Silver Line for a chat. It’s the only confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK that’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week 0800 4 70 80 90.
The Jo Cox Commission has launched The Great Winter Get Together which has five great ways people can connect this winter.
Let’s Talk Loneliness is the UK Government’s website that brings together practical advice, inspiring stories and support routes to encourage people to take the first steps to alleviate loneliness.
Get online and join Gransnet – it’s the busiest social networking site for the over 50s. At its heart is a buzzing forum where users debate the hot topics of the day, support each other through tough times and share a laugh.
Age UK befriending service – a free telephone friendship service so you can enjoy chatting with someone over the phone, all from the comfort of your own home.
Mind’s online community Side by Side is a safe place to connect with others who understand what you’re going through.
Join the British Red Cross’s Connecting Communities – can help you connect with your local community and meet new friends, give you guidance about coping with loneliness and offer tips to help others.
B:Friend was started by this lovely guy who’s experience with isolation helped him set up the charity to help others
Also, I’m not going to wait for the internet to break again to take another opportunity to to leave my computer this winter. When it’s so comforting to feel presence of nature, I’m going to go on more walks, I’m going to take every opportunity to immerse myself in the sounds of nature like I did this week, whenever I can. Instead of looking in my iCloud for answers, I am going to try looking out at the actual sky more often. My Christmas wish is find out how to get even more Lenders and Tenders Patch-Matched in 2021 than ever before. If you think you can help, by sharing this, please click one of the Social links below. Or give Lend and Tend a mention in your Christmas calls. I’d be so grateful. Until next time, please all have a safe and healthy festive break and this Winter Solstice Night, a peaceful restful evening.