SOUTHAMPTON has been ranked as one of the places in the UK that needs help to tackle loneliness and social isolation.

A national welfare charity is launching a new service to battle the problems after a survey found that more than nine million adults often, or always, feel lonely.

British Red Cross has identified Southampton as one of 39 areas in the UK where help is needed the most.

Now a meeting to be held to try to recruit more volunteers to beat the city’s loneliness problem.

The charity’s Southampton Community Connector service is one of 49 new schemes being introduced across the UK combat the problem.

Those in the role of community connector will be spending time with people experiencing loneliness and helping them to reconnect to their community, offering positive encouragement and emotional support.

The charity currently has two community connector staff in the city, Claire Vincent and Louise Mackney, and the charity say they would like a total of ten volunteers by the turn of the year.

Claire said: “We aim to reach all parts of the community by supporting anyone who may want to reconnect with people or who’d like to make a positive change in their lives.

"The connector service will concentrate on Bevois Valley, which has been identified as having high levels of socially isolated people.”

A study by the Co-op and Red Cross revealed epidemic levels of loneliness and social isolation. Common changes such as getting divorced, retiring or suffering bereavement, can be triggers for loneliness.

In response to the findings, a total of £6 million has been raised by Co-op customers across the UK to fund the services.

The charity said it doesn’t know how the funds will be broken down and used across the UK yet.

Claire added: “We are also looking for people who’d like to volunteer with the service. We often see a ripple effect where someone who has been helped will then go on to help someone else in a similar situation.

“A small contribution can go on to have a big impact on a person’s life and on the wider community.”

The connectors will be holding next week for those interested in learning more about the service.

On Tuesday anyone wanting to find out more can attend the information event at the Millennium Third Age Centre from 4pm to 7pm.