Celebrating our Tigers Team Mates team on #LonelinessAwarenessWeek

 

Since Summer 2020, our team have been supporting members of the community by tackling loneliness with planned activities and support to members of the community who are at risk of isolation through the Covid-19 pandemic. 

 

A recent study from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that 2.6 million adults reported that they felt lonely ”often” or ”always” whilst 7.4 million adults reported their well-being had been affected through them having felt lonely in the past seven days. 

 

Thanks to funding from the EFL Trust, the Department of Digital Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and additional funding from the Yorkshire Building Federation we are able to continue to offer support to tackle loneliness in Hull and East Riding through 2021.  

 

We have two Tackling Loneliness Delivery Officers, and dozens of volunteers ready to start making a difference to elderly members of our community. 

 

One of those Officers is Josh Clackstone and he said the project was set up "due to the need for it in our local community." 

"It was vital that we came together as part of the community of East Riding and Hull to provide support for those who had been isolated and left feeling lonely due to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

 

"Upon starting the programme, we have seen that loneliness and isolation isn't a 'Covid' problem, this has only highlighted the problem and we wish to continue to support anyone who is feeling isolated." 

 

 

The Tigers Team Mates team have come up with a number of different ways in which they can support those feeling lonely and isolated. 

 

This includes: 

• Pen Pal Schemes 

• Library Book Deliveries 

• Regular Phone Calls 

• Virtual Quizzes 

• Monday Memorabilia Zoom Calls 

• Help with Shopping/Picking up essentials such as prescriptions 

 

Speaking of the type of support they offer to individuals, Josh said that "the type of work we do is providing any support for people feeling isolated in a way that would suit them best." 

 

"For some it has been our befriending phone call service where we call the participants either weekly, twice a week, each day... it depends on the participant's needs. 

 

"We have also provided a delivery service for shopping and library books for those who don't feel like they could risk leaving their home." 

 

 

The whole of the Tigers Trust team were touched by a note given to Abdul Rahman (Project Officer) recently from one of our Tigers Team Mates participants. 

 

When talking about messages of thanks and support like this, Josh said it's great to see as it shows that the work from the team is having a positive impact.  

 

He said: "It is more pleasing to us to hear the participants are happy with what we do and they are feeling better than when we first started engaging with them. 

 

"The feeling I have is an immense sense of pride. I now appreciate the 'little things' a lot more in my own life.  

 

"I'm proud of the work we do here at the Tigers Trust and the impact we have on our local community.  

 

"I wish for this project to continue so we can help even more people who we have yet to contact." 

 

 

If you would like any further information, or would like to signpost someone you know, please email one of our Project Officers - [email protected] or [email protected] .  

 

Alternatively you can call the Tigers Trust office on 01482 358 371.