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The UK’s minister for loneliness – described as the world’s first such minister – on Monday asked people to consider writing to the lonely amid the raging coronavirus pandemic.
The portfolio was created by former Prime Minister Theresa May, when she appointed the first such minister in January 2018. The current minister is Diana Barran, a junior minister in the department of gigital, media, culture and sport.
“Writing letters might be a slightly forgotten art but it’s more important than ever to connect with people, and putting pen to paper is an excellent way of making sure our friends, family and neighbours know we’re thinking about them,” said Barran.
“The last few months have brought loneliness to the forefront of our minds. We all have a role in being kind and looking out for each other, and as some of us begin to regain some normality we cannot forget those who may need to stay at home for longer and could be at risk of feeling lonely,” she added.
The initiative is part of ‘Loneliness Awareness Week’ (June 15-19). Letters in the week will have a ‘Let’s Talk Loneliness’ postmark. According to Royal Mail, nearly three quarters of people (74%) feel that writing letters has positive mental health benefits.
Posting a letter to a friend who is still shielding. Please let me know about the letters you have sent or received during #lockdown and send another during #lonelinessawarenessweek #letstalkloneliness 📩📮📝 pic.twitter.com/BytWkCRPJ5
— Diana Barran #StayAlert (@dianabarran) June 13, 2020
David Gold of Royal Mail said: “Handwritten correspondence is a very powerful way of connecting and showing someone close that you care; particularly during these difficult and sometimes isolating times”.
A government spokesperson said after creating the first minister for loneliness, the world’s first government loneliness strategy was published in October 2018, containing 60 commitments from nine departments.
The first government fund dedicated to reducing loneliness is worth £11.5 million, supporting 126 projects across England. A #LetsTalkLoneliness campaign was also launched in June 2019 to help raise awareness and tackle stigma.
