No Need to Be Alone
CPJ Field’s Never Alone programme is being enhanced to tackle loneliness in the community with a focus on connection, wellbeing and support.
At CPJ Field, we are committed to helping local communities across the Southeast by shining a light on the seriousness of loneliness across our country and its impact on our lives and our health and wellbeing.
Loneliness has become more prevalent in today’s world. In response to this pressing issue, we are excited to be broadening our ‘Never Alone’ programme. ‘Never Alone’ started as an initiative to make introductions to community groups in towns that we serve. With increasing need for greater social connection, we are bolstering our ‘Never Alone’ programme, covering all aspects of mental health and wellbeing.
Developed to help anyone who is experiencing loneliness and isolation, ‘Never Alone’ is all about offering the most appropriate support to individuals or their family and friends. By using a tried and tested community-building approach, we will offer both online and in-person support using our local funeral homes as hubs for signposting and sharing information. Well-loved local funeral homes which operate under the trading names of Cooper & Son, Ballard & Shortall, Haine & Son, Heritage & Son, and Shires, to name just a few, have many years of experience and expertise in offering guidance and emotional support to families and individuals, particularly when facing a bereavement. Our ‘Never Alone’ programme will go further, and will be available to all, including to those who do not use our funeral services, as it has always been.
Wellbeing, health, hobbies, and importantly social interaction are the key areas around which the ‘Never Alone’ programme has been built. Local groups are joining the programme as they partner and support us in our mission to reduce loneliness and bolster social connection. Beyond emotional support, ‘Never Alone’ also seeks to help by offering practical support, through a network of well-regarded contacts, all of whom are trusted and local, and ready to assist, when help is most needed. In addition, our own community events are growing in popularity across their key towns, as our colleagues open their doors and hearts to all those who join them and, in so doing, bring together like-minded people for conversation, a sharing of stories, and mutual support.
“The levels of loneliness experienced across the UK are high. We are seeking to help tackle this by providing more accessible support and by expanding our Never Alone programme. We are witnessing wonderful successes as people benefit from these local networks, proving that we can provide meaningful connections and support for individuals experiencing feelings of isolation”
- Emily Hendin, Communications and Marketing Director, CPJ Field.
Key features of the ‘Never Alone’ programme include:
- Community Events: We run a number of our own community initiatives including coffee mornings, inter-generational meet ups, community choir and ‘knit and natter’ groups which are held locally to create engaging and inclusive gatherings.
- Local Group Directory: ‘Never Alone’ provides information and resources on how to find the best local groups in your area from theatrical groups to social clubs; and from fitness classes to men’s or women’s groups. Local groups are a wonderful way to connect people whilst participating and learning something new.
- Social Prescribing: As part of ‘Never Alone’, at CPJ Field we take an active role in the local communities that we serve and work alongside trained professionals, such as GPs, and other mental health experts who specialise in social prescribing.
- Wellbeing: ‘Never Alone’ promotes improved wellbeing and helps individuals find support for common mental health issues, as well as find support from those who understand and empathise with their situation.
- Practical Support: By providing a wealth of information and support on practical matters such as estate management, legal issues, and other administrative concerns, ‘Never Alone’ can provide introductions to the most appropriate services for you.
“Loneliness is not a simple challenge to solve. Life changing events, such as a bereavement, create an immediate impact, but long-term loneliness can seriously impact our lives. We continue to want to drive momentum and be a place for those to seek help and support. We are, above all, compassionate and caring, learnt through years of operating in the community, and we want to foster a sense of belonging and for Never Alone to be a resource available for all”.
- Jeremy Field, Managing Director, CPJ Field
Are you supporting someone close to you or need help yourself?
Maybe it is you who is feeling isolated, or just up and down each day. Alternatively, you may have a parent, family member, or friend in need of support, perhaps not on your doorstep and feeling the distance rather isolating. Either way Never Alone can help. For more information about the ‘Never Alone’ programme, please visit our Never Alone section of the website, or contact us.
“A number of the people we support through befriending report feeling lonely or isolated, so these are exactly the kind of groups we want to help them engage with.”
- Mind, Buckinghamshire
Are you a local group who would like to collaborate and join our ‘Never Alone’ programme?
We would love to hear from you and register your interest in supporting our groundbreaking loneliness programme committed to creating meaningful connections and providing support for individuals experiencing feelings of isolation. Through in-person events, ‘Never Alone’ aims to make a positive impact on the mental health and wellbeing of individuals. You can be a part of it. For more information, please see our Local Groups section.
