THE "LONELINESS" PROJECT WHICH
HAS MORE IMPORTANCE THAN EVER When local woman Alex Hoskyn founded the Chatty Cafe scheme back in 2017, she had no idea of the importance it would turn out to have.
This extraordinary project has not only encouraged those experiencing loneliness to reach out and connect with new friends, but it has now grown from a small local scheme to one which has gained national recognition, with 1,400 venues nationwide. In Rochdale, you can find a 'chatter and natter' table at numerous locations around the town centre, as well as surrounding areas such as Milnrow, Balderstone and Castleton.
Her idea to tackle loneliness by setting up special 'chatter and natter' tables in local cafes was one which, although already very powerful, would go on to become a survival tool for those coping with pandemic-related isolation. As we all know, loneliness is a word which has hung heavy in the headlines over these months, and not without reason with over 3 million UK adults reporting to feel lonely "often or always". 28 | Rochdale Style
So what exactly is a 'chatter and natter' table? You only need to step into Costa Coffee in Rochdale to find out. In a nutshell, designated tables are set up with a sign on them, on which anyone can take a seat if they are happy to talk. This simple but effective idea has led hundreds of people to making new friends and, as some of them have reported, an overall increase in their emotional wellbeing. And it didn’t stop there. When the lockdowns took hold and people were forced to stay at home, founder Alex Hoskyn launched a telephone and online service where volunteers could speak with those who wanted to connect from the comfort of their homes.
Kirsty Rigg Features writer
Group sessions quickly developed and people from all over the country started taking part, and there's not a strong community of people who regularly connect through the scheme. Operations Manager Abi Murray said that the winter months can be a particularly hard time for those experiencing loneliness, and that the scheme is open to anyone who would like to join in Rochdale and beyond. She added: "The main inspiration behind the scheme was to offer a solution to those who are feeling isolated or lonely, both because of the pandemic but also before it too. That feeling of loneliness goes further than people think - it can be so debilitating that it can even cause further health problems and even physical problems. "We want to offer people a solution to this modern world of isolation by giving them people to talk to, in places they can access easily. The winter months are particularly tough for people who are experiencing loneliness, especially around here where it's typically grey and dark most of the time. People are going outside less and feeling less connected, which can really have an impact on their overall wellbeing."
