THE British Red Cross in Southampton is urgently calling for residents to come forward to help the high number of people affected by loneliness and social isolation.

Last year, the charity launched its Connecting Communities initiative in partnership with the Co-op after finding the area is one of 39 places in the UK where help is most needed.

The service is now seeing such high demand that it has had to introduce a waiting list for people seeking support. In response, the Red Cross is urgently looking to expand the team of local volunteers to ensure it can offer assistance and make visits to all people nearby who need it.

One person who has received support from the service is Sheila Hedges, 90, from Southampton, who cares for her husband, George.

George suffered a stroke four years ago and since then the couple have found it difficult to leave the house together. Sheila also doesn’t like to leave George for long so rarely leaves her home.

Sheila said: “George and I haven’t been able to go out together for years because I can’t push his wheelchair.

"He does go to a day centre for a few hours, but I am always anxious that he will come home early, so the longest I go out for is 45 minutes to get a bit of shopping. I rush about getting what I need then get home as quickly as possible to wait for George to come home.”

Sheila began receiving support from Red Cross community connector, Louise Mackney, to build Sheila’s confidence and find ways for the couple to go out together again.

“Louise has been absolutely brilliant” said Sheila. “We clicked right from the start and she’s like one of the family. She’s arranged for George and me to go along to a day centre together where we enjoyed a lunch and some entertainment. We had a whale of a time.

“Louise has been so helpful. She has put us in touch with Dial-a-Ride so now George and I will be able to go out together more regularly. The service has been marvellous and Louise has been an absolute god-send to us.”

Sally Wing, 74, from Southampton has also been enjoying the company provided by the service. She was introduced to Claire Vincent, another Red Cross community connector, by a Community Police officer after experiencing a traumatic break-in where she came face-to-face with her intruder.

“After the break-in I was in a state for weeks. Every noise I heard I would jump and I had terrible trouble sleeping. I didn’t want to go out at all.

“You can’t believe how much I have appreciated the help Claire has given me. The local police have been amazing too. Everybody has been so supportive. Claire has helped me build up my confidence again by taking me to lunch and coffee mornings. I’d still be a gibbering wreck if it hadn’t been for the Red Cross.

“I’ve just booked a trip to South Africa to visit my family. There’s no way I would have done that before I met Claire. There are no words to explain what Claire has done for me. Thank you isn’t enough.”

Claire said: “Sally has been through a very traumatic experience that would have knocked anyone. She was understandably anxious and nervous when I first met her, but she is now so much more confident and is very positive about moving forward.

“We’re seeing a loneliness epidemic in communities across the UK – and Southampton is particularly affected. Loneliness and social isolation can affect anyone, of any age and background, and the impacts can be devastating.

“We’ve received so many calls from people in the area saying they are lonely and would like our support. We urgently need more volunteers to keep up with this demand. It’s really easy to get involved, and giving just a couple of hours a week can make a huge difference.”

Volunteers provide practical and emotional support to help local people who are lonely and isolated connect with others in their communities.

This involves helping them to discover and access local activities and services and enjoy the benefits of being more involved in the area.

Requiring a commitment from just a couple of hours a week, volunteer support is invaluable in helping local people affected by loneliness feel more confident and able to reconnect with their community.

Full training is provided and all volunteers are supported by our expert staff.

Research by the Red Cross and the Co-op found that over 9 million people in the UK always or often feel lonely. Adults of all ages can be affected, and the impacts can be as damaging to health as smoking and obesity.

The connecting communities team is planning a recruitment day in Southampton on June 5. For more information about volunteering, or to help someone affected by loneliness or social isolation receive support, e-mail connectsouthampton@redcross.org.uk or register your interest online.