Co-op and BRC ‘join forces’ with Cruse Bereavement Care to tackle loneliness

The Co-op and the British Red Cross (BRC) has “joined forces” with Cruse Bereavement Care in an effort to tackle loneliness in communities across the UK.

The group said it sees how loneliness affects bereaved people, young and old, and “wanted to “do something about it”. The new partnership will support those who are experiencing loneliness with its new ‘More than words’ scheme.

The scheme aims to start up social groups, where people who have experienced any kind of bereavement, to meet up and go on trips to cafes, parks and museums. This will allow them to meet new people and talk about their loss, should they wish to, with people who understand.

Alex Robertson, project manager at Cruse, said: “Following bereavement, many people can feel lonely or isolated. Even with a network of friends, colleagues and relatives, individuals can still feel they have no one to turn to.

“We’ve found that some of the people we support want something to go onto after one-to-one support, and sometimes people want something less formal and want to meet others who have been in a similar experience.”