New Community Hub Addresses Isolation, Inspired by Founders’ Experiences

A new community hub, established by friends, aims to combat loneliness and isolation by fostering connections among residents in rural areas, according to its founders. Communitea, located in Wigton, Cumbria, plans to provide a complimentary Christmas Eve lunch and Christmas Day breakfast for elderly individuals who may be solitary during the festive period. The initiative was conceived by Polly Harris and Lisa Myatt, both of whom possess direct experience with the challenges of maintaining social connections while residing in a rural county. Ms Myatt stated, “When I became a full-time carer it became quite apparent there weren’t these kind of services where you could take your elderly mother to go and do activities and get out of the house.” Ms Myatt resigned from her position as a pharmacist to care for her mother, Paula, and noted that the earlier closure of Age UK in west Cumbria this year created a “massive gap” in the availability of day centres and home help services, a void Communitea now aims to fill. She added, “We have carers and they will do what we need, but it’s more the services of socialisation.” Ms Myatt further explained, “Just getting her out, getting her to speak with new people and even activities, seeing people her own age and interacting.” She concluded, “It makes the world of difference to her mental health.” Ms Harris, a former employee of Age UK, mentioned that while the initial concept centered on assisting the elderly, the process of establishing the hub revealed that loneliness impacts individuals across all age groups. Ms Harris stated, “Living in Wigton we can see that there are gaps and knowing that there are smaller villages like Mawbray, Port Carlisle, Silloth even, it’s hard to get to so it’s having somewhere that people can come to.” The hub, which commenced operations in the building previously known as the Glasshouse, features both a cafe and a thrift shop. The founders anticipate introducing activities like children’s craft sessions and cinema nights in the upcoming year. Anthony McGonigle, 59, a resident of Wigton, volunteers at Communitea and reported that the hub is already positively influencing his life. His contributions include assistance with maintenance, woodwork, painting, and various odd jobs. “It’s a job for them to get me back home,” he quipped. He added, “I suffer from mental health and anxiety, just getting out and getting stuff done, putting a little bit back in the community helps me a great deal.” Ms Myatt expressed her anticipation for opening the hub to the elderly on Christmas Eve. She remarked, “I’m excited, nervous, but it’s a warm fuzzy feeling as well. Someone who might have been alone last year might not have to be this year.” Meanwhile, Ms Myatt and Ms Harris have engaged their daughters to volunteer for the upcoming free Christmas events. Imani, Ms Myatt’s 13-year-old daughter, commented, “No one wants to be by themselves at Christmas, it doesn’t feel right.” Tallia, Ms Harris’s 17-year-old daughter, conveyed her eagerness to engage with people and listen to their narratives. She added, “It’s going to be lovely to see everyone on Christmas and be with people who don’t have anyone else to be there with.” For updates, follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding their external linking policy is available.