07 Mar 2024
Rev Peter Crumpler, associate minister at St Paul’s Church in Fleetville, on why it’s good to talk…
There’s a sign in one of my favourite St Albans coffee shops, and it always makes me smile.
It says: “We don’t have any WiFi, so why not get off your phone and talk to someone.”
Because talking, it seems, is going out of fashion. We’re all becoming much more isolated, hiding behind our screens and smartphones.
Shops and cafés are going digital, so that you don’t have to speak to a real person to order or to pay.
Turn up in many restaurants and you’re confronted with a touchscreen or encouraged to order via an app.
All this, while we’re facing an epidemic of loneliness in the UK, and in other western countries.
Young people are among the worst affected.
Sadly, there’s no vaccine that can protect you against loneliness, and there’s a lingering stigma in admitting that you’re lonely.
So how do we fight back? How do we combat the trend?
The Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Anthony Rowlands, has launched a project with ‘All Ages Together’ as its theme. He is seeking to connect “our communities to tackle loneliness and isolation.” He has a vision of “an age-friendly St Albans City and District that cherishes social inclusion, accessibility, connection and enriches lives.”
It’s a welcome and valuable initiative, with guiding principles that include inclusivity, choice, respect, creativity, togetherness and mutual learning. Encouraging links between generations is a key feature.
Across St Albans and Harpenden, there are many community groups that offer a chance to drop in. Churches and other faith groups run a range of activities – from toddler groups to older age lunch clubs and ‘drop ins.’ All are designed to bring people together and build up our communities.
I’m involved with a local supermarket, putting together a project where people can just drop in for a chance to chat. Hopefully, it will help to counter the effect of so many ‘human’ checkouts being replaced by computers.
And maybe there’s something about being the type of person who opens up a conversation in a public place. It can be tricky, and some people may not respond. But for some people, you may be offering them the only conversation they’ve had that day.
Combating loneliness is not just good for our communities and our wellbeing – it can also have a major positive effect on our health. Experienced GP Dr Richard Pile took part in last October’s TEDx Talk event in St Albans, where local people gave presentations on issues close to their hearts. Richard gave a powerful talk on The Dangers of Loneliness and how it could have a serious impact on people’s health.
He challenged health professionals to take its risks more seriously, and to engage in ‘social prescribing’ where GPs and others could suggest people visit a community group, or join with others in walking or other activity-based groups.
The research, he said, indicated that social prescribing could have significant positive health outcomes, and reduce the numbers of people wanting GP appointments or turning up in accident and emergency centres. The figures were fascinating.
So, the challenge to each of us is simple. Turn away from that screen and speak to someone. It could change their life…and yours.
