An award-winning campaign against loneliness by a regional daily is set to expand with the creation of an audio archive of readers suffering from social isolation.
The Yorkshire Post is building up the bank with the aim of making the problem “impossible to ignore” for those in authority as part of its Loneliness: The Hidden Epidemic campaign.
Since its launch in February, four local authorities in the country that have previously come under fire have pledged action in tackling loneliness, and many of the Leeds-based title’s readers have volunteered for support services.
The Post was awarded regional campaign of the year at May’s Regional Press Awards following a public vote, and also won the backing of TV personality Esther Rantzen.
The campaign was launched in February
The issue is thought to affect more than 90,000 older people in Yorkshire, but readers of all ages are being sought for the project.
The new archive will be compiled by journalists Lindsay Pantry and David Clay.
Nicola Furbisher, managing editor of The Post, said: “We want to build an archive of audio stories made with the voices of people who are lonely and living in isolation, an archive that will make the authorities stand up, listen, and act.
“We think this project will be hugely impactful – and will perhaps bring about changes in attitudes and provoke action far more quickly than statistics ever can.”
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I am aware that the Yorkshire Post has become The Yorkshire Post, but wasn’t aware it had dropped the Yorkshire!
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I wonder if many of the audio stories will be from lonely ex JP staff….there should be enough of them to keep the YP in stories for years………………..
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This is a great idea to engage with – and help – such, unfortunate, people. My mother-in-law suffers in the same way. . .
Nicola Furbisher is an astounding person, great journalist – and – most importantly- someone who cares about others.
She gets my vote any – day- in supporting any campaign or investigation. Top, top, person and very shrewd.
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Rubbish punctuation – sorry. Probably due to a glass of wine celebrating my release from JP!!
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