'I write letters to strangers to combat loneliness'

A man who was inspired to take action after he saw an elderly woman in hospital struggling with loneliness said he wants people to feel they are not alone.

Michael Helps, from Burnley, Lancashire, set up a letter writing service called Loneliness UK after his mother encouraged him "to do something about it" in a bid to tackle loneliness and isolation.

Those feeling lonely can write to the service, formerly known as Old and Proud, and they will receive a letter back.

"If you're struggling, you're having a bit of a tough time, your finances might be poor, you can get a pen and paper and write to us," said the 46-year-old.

"Even if it's just about you having a bad day, there's just someone there to listen to you."

The idea was born while in a waiting room in the Royal Blackburn Hospital in 2014 with his mum Shelia Helps.

"There was a lady sat across the room on her own waiting for some results," he said.

"I said to my mum, 'someone needs to do something, there should be someone there with her at this time'.

"My mum turned around and said 'do something about it then'. So I did."

Michael admits he has also struggled following the death of his mother one year after setting up the group, and the death of his sister Marilyn a short time later.

"It's been a bit of an up and down time from when my mum passed away," he said.

Michael said he wanted to bring back the premise of pen pals in a bid to combat isolation and loneliness.

"The stories that we get told, people on the road, even people who have got family members around them but they feel isolated," he said.

"You go through a lot of emotion around it, but you're there to support and help them through that.

"I found over the last sort of 10 years, all you need is someone there to listen to.

"There's not enough of it going on at the moment."

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