With Christmas approaching, young people are working to combat loneliness
No one should feel alone at Christmas time – this is what Ceri Camilleri, 25, thought when she put out an advert on Gumtree. Like many others who have been inspired by the John Lewis TV advert, she decided to make an advert in the hope that an isolated, vulnerable elderly person would spend Christmas day with herself and her family in Llanrumney, Cardiff.
“We are offering to pick them up from their home on Christmas day and bring them to ours where we will have a few small gifts for the person,” she says.
She explains that the John Lewis advert, which depicts a lonely old man on the moon connecting with a little girl, inspired her to help make someone less fortunate than she feel part of a family.
“The John Lewis advert made me realise how vulnerable and lonely some older people can be,” she says.
“Personally, I don’t think enough is being done in Cardiff. I didn’t really know how to go about helping, so I put out an ad on Gumtree whilst I contacted Age UK,” she adds.
Loneliness at Christmas time
Although Ceri’s gesture is a perfectly selfless act of charity, many charities state that loneliness is not something that occurs only at Christmas time. In fact, Mathew Coffin, service manager at Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale, suggests that Christmas time might be the only time lonely elderly people can connect with their busy families. He stresses that campaigns to combat loneliness need to be sustainable all year round.
He says, “People can get lonely at any time. They can wake up in the middle of the night and feel a crippling sense of loneliness.
“Our aim as a charity is to help older people who are isolated, vulnerable and potentially in poverty,” he adds.
But are enough young people getting involved to help combat this?
“There are lots of volunteering opportunities but the big problem is that as most lonely people are isolated, no one really knows about them.”
He explains that the charity has experienced a surge in young volunteers after the John Lewis advert, but they are always looking for more people to get involved. He says, “There are lots of volunteering opportunities but the big problem is that as most lonely people are isolated, no one really knows about them.”
The charity is constantly working to help the lonely. Mathew says, “We send young volunteers round to have a chat about what would make a difference and they go round to their houses once a week, for a couple of hours to keep their spirits up.”
According to Age UK, seven per cent of people over 65 say they often, or always, feel lonely and it is estimated that 8,666 elderly people spent Christmas alone last year.
Small gestures go a long way
Iwan Rhys Roberts, external relations manager at Age Cymru, says young people showing, “Simple acts of kindness such as going shopping for someone during the wintry weather can make a world of difference.”
Many people in a community can be oblivious to the sufferings of the lonely; if attention hasn’t been brought to the issue then it can go unnoticed. Gladys Samuel, 83, feels as though she is dependent on the younger generations for help.
“Sometimes, I feel like I get dismissed because of my age – you have to go through it to experience it. Community, commitment and love for elders is important,” she says.
She adds, “The winter is particularly difficult for me because the weather means I am unable to get out and I am dependent on my family for help.”
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Getting inspiration to get involved
Is it wrong for people to only now have been inspired to help the elderly because of the John Lewis advert?
Felicity Collins, 21, and granddaughter of Gladys says, “I do think it’s wrong to an extent because people are lonely all year round, not just at Christmas time.
“It usually is dismissed by the majority of the public if it doesn’t affect them personally, but ultimately I think it’s a good cause because it’s raised awareness and it could make a difference to people’s lives,” she adds.
She whole-heartedly agrees and is involved with the charity’s aim of providing companionship for the elderly all year round, but she does not feel other young people are getting involved.
“I don’t feel as though the younger generation are doing enough. The charities need to be publicised more in order to reach younger people,” Felicity says.
“I try and do as much as I can to make sure my nan isn’t lonely. I take her shopping whenever she needs and when I’m in the area, I always pop in for a cup of tea,” she states.
With the John Lewis advert certainly providing more help than harm, Ceri Camilleri hopes that someone will accept her and her family’s offer, and that they will be able to provide someone with a memorable Christmas. Both Ceri and charities alike also hope that other young people will follow suit to ensure that no one is left feeling alone, neither at Christmas time nor at any other time of the year.