Loneliness Hotspots in Tower Hamlets Revealed
Source: 2021 Census data.
We all know it’s painful to feel lonely, and this can be even harder when facing other disadvantages. Loneliness disproportionately affects those facing other disadvantages, such as being acutely poor, newly arrived to London, living alone, having a disability or feeling excluded from community.
Currently, 700,000 Londoners are classed as severely lonely, which is 1 in 12. Psychologist Dr John Cacioppo says loneliness is a signal from our body that something is going wrong in our environment. This alarm bell calls us to change our behaviour or alter something in our surroundings to improve our chance of survival, evolutionarily speaking.
At GCP we see this problem as a sign that how we are living together is not functioning well enough for all of us. Our projects work to repair this situation and tackle loneliness through practical ways of bringing us closer together.
Through analysing the 2021 census data through brand new research, we have identified eight loneliness hotspots in Tower Hamlets, these are our priority areas to tackle loneliness in:
Shadwell / Shadwell North
Poplar
Stepney Green / St Dunstan’s
Bow West
Bethnal Green
Columbia Road / Weavers
Mudchute / Island Gardens / Millwall
Tower Hill Wapping South
Through providing people with the four key support factors out lined in Reconceptualising Loneliness in London’ 2022 report we make real progress towards tackling loneliness. These factors are:
High quality, real, deep connection with others.
A sense of belonging.
Building mental and emotional resilience through mindfulness tools.
Access to better support networks.
In the words of one of our recent beneficiaries, “I learnt a lot of things. Especially feelings on others and I am not the only one struggling.” Sometimes knowing we are not the only one suffering with a particular problem can really shift our outlook for the better.