Before the Covid-19 pandemic, half a million older people reported going at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone. Successive lockdowns and shielding throughout the Covid-19 pandemic pushed more younger and older adults in Manchester into isolation and loneliness.

This is both a personal and a public crisis - loneliness is strongly linked to poor physical and mental health outcomes and increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, depression and dementia. It's as detrimental to your health as 15 cigarettes a day. 

Manchester Cares reduces loneliness and isolation amongst older and younger neighbours by connecting them through our free face-to-face social opportunities, 1:1 friendship matching programme, and support opportunities across the city.

I'm really proud to work for Manchester Cares, and I'm taking on the Peak District Ultra Challenge (52k) to raise awareness for the charity, and to help tackle loneliness and connect neighbours across Manchester.