With the festive period behind us, and a few more months of winter weather ahead, January can leave some of us feeling a little down. For others, these feelings can exacerbate the impact of other life changes. Leaving the workplace, no longer being the hub of your family, or the death of spouses and friends can increase feelings of loneliness.

According to Age UK, more than 2 million people over the age of 75 live alone, and more than a million older people say they go over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour or family member. Inspired Villages exists to deliver change for our ageing population, including combatting these concerning statistics. 

The third Monday of the month is often referred to as ‘the hardest day of the year’. At Inspired Villages, we know there is no such thing as ‘Blue Monday’ but acknowledge that we all have our good days and bad days. Nevertheless, everybody deserves to have somebody they can turn to when they’re feeling lonely.

A campaign by UK charity Samaritans intends to flip ‘Blue Monday’ on its head by encouraging us to reach out and connect with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. This is exactly what we intend to do with a whole host of events and activities taking place across our villages, extending well into 2024.

Check out our event page to find community and wellness events happening near you: https://www.inspiredvillages.co.uk/events