CELTIC FC Foundation’s ‘You’ll Never Talk Alone’ project will formally launch on December 5, 2019, thanks to fundraising from the inaugural New York Gala Dinner. The project is striving to tackle the growing issue of loneliness.

Loneliness has been described as one of the greatest public health challenges of our time.

We can all feel lonely at times. These feelings are personal, and therefore, everyone’s experience of loneliness can be different. Some people may choose to be alone and live happily, while others may find this a lonely experience. Some people may socialise a lot or be in a relationship but still feel lonely due to feeling misunderstood.

Loneliness can happen to anyone but certain experiences can increase our chances of feeling lonely; for example, retirement or unemployment resulting in losing the social contact you had at work, a relationship break-up, moving to a new country or at particular times of year such as Christmas.

Some people are more susceptible to loneliness. If you’re living in poverty, the chances are that you will be more isolated from social activities due to money problems. If you are a carer you may find it more difficult to commit to socialising or if you have a long-term health issue. Equally, you may be in work but have no family or friends around.

There is a strong link between mental health and feeling lonely. Although feeling lonely in itself isn’t a mental health issue, having a mental health issue can increase your chance of feeling lonely. Sometimes you can be in the Catch 22 position of wanting to interact with new people but anxiety and depression prevents you from being able to do it.

Celtic FC Foundation recognise the impact that loneliness can have on people’s lives, increasing the risk of stress, low self-esteem, lack of confidence, sleep problems and anxiety, and are keen to do something about it.

Tony Hamilton, Chief Executive of Celtic FC Foundation, said: “Our project will provide people experiencing loneliness with a chance to come along and socialise in a non-judgemental and safe environment.

“We will provide a hot meal, entertainment and, most importantly, staff that are willing to talk, listen, provide advice or just sit with you in silence if that’s what you need at that point in time. The project will continue to run on a monthly basis and we’ll consult with people about different themes they’d like to see.”

The official launch of ‘You’ll Never Talk Alone’ will take place on Thursday, December 5 in the Number 7 Restaurant at Celtic Park between 5pm and 8pm, with hot food and entertainment provided. There will also be staff available on the night to chat to if you need advice.

The project is open to all. If you are experiencing loneliness and would like to come along please get in touch with us at [email protected] or call on 0141 551 4321.