‘I know what it feels like to feel lonely’

“I know what it feels like to feel lonely and perhaps I could help other people by doing the project,” says Alexandra Pickford, a volunteer researcher and performer, explaining why she got involved in research looking into experiences of loneliness and social isolation, run jointly by charity BS3 Community, the University of Bristol and Manchester Metropolitan University.

The study led to the creation of a series of monologues, titled Alonely, based on the interviews researchers conducted with older people in Bedminster and Southville. These are performed by volunteer researchers Alexandra Pickford, Steve Franks and Carol Jubb, along with Alan Nye.

From left: Alan Nye, Carol Jubb, Alexandra Pickford and Steve Franks during rehearsals for Alonely

The monologues were first performed at the Tobacco Factory. In January 2018 they were performed at the opening of the Chessel Centre, BS3 Community’s second building. The monologues explore how issues like retirement, loss of a loved one and declining physical mobility can isolate people.

The event at the Chessel Centre was attended by Bristol South MP Karin Smyth, as well as members of the local community. Smyth then invited the group to Westminster on July 9 to perform to health professionals, community activists and MPs. In the audience was Rachel Reeves MP, a friend of Jo Cox, the MP murdered in 2016 who campaigned on loneliness.

Following the moving event was a discussion about loneliness, where attendees agreed that loneliness should be treated as mental health issue that can affect anyone of any age, the Westminster event was called loneliness across the life course.

“Presenting the research in this way has more impact as a drama and is more engaging,” says researcher and performer Steve Franks. Though the team have produced also a formal report,  they particularly wanted to convey the emotions behind the interviews as opposed to just the statistics.

The transcripts were dramatised by Adam Peck, with contributions from the researchers and producer Lucy Tuck, and turned into the series of monologues. Each performance of Alonely also has a Q&A afterwards to help the audience discuss their own experiences and the ways they related to the performance.

Alan Nye and Alexandra Pickford. Photo by Minnie Leaver

The consensus of the team is that communities and governments should be doing more to help combat loneliness. “Much more attention should be paid to public transport and the quality of nursing homes as well as home care to help people experiencing loneliness,” says Carol Jubb, another of the volunteer researchers and performers. “There should also be more effort given not to allow the elderly to be thrust into ‘exclusion zones’ – it helps when there are greater mixtures of different aged people living closely together”.

Alan Nye emphasises that while it is a community problem, government policy should be focusing on “helping communities help themselves”. In terms of what communities should be doing, he highlights programmes like the Community Navigators, who go to people who are isolated and get them out and doing activities they enjoy. “Simple, practical things can help,” he says.

You can listen to the monologues on Audioboom and find out more about the project by visiting www.productivemargins.ac.uk/projects/isolation-and-loneliness