A campaign to tackle loneliness during lockdown has been launched from Tollington Park through the promotion of book clubs.
Louie Freeman-Bassett, the Islington resident who launched the Generation Book Club, explains the online platform, “people who are feeling lonely can see on the website if there’s a local book club near them, and get in touch. It’s particularly focused at older generations who might be struggling even more.”
The initiative aims to bring younger and older generations together and make new connections that people may not have considered within their area.
“The main point is to let people who are feeling isolated and lonely know that there is a book club nearby that’s welcoming and friendly and might be able to help.”
Generation Book Club has around 20 existing clubs already on its list who have pledged to be part of the campaign and inclusive to all ages – four of whom are based in London.
Freeman-Bassett, who has a background in working for charities such as Shelter and Sue Ryder, said the strength of the Tollington community encouraged him to set up Generation Book Club.
“It was really inspired by Tollington Park as I remember logging on to Nextdoor [the neighbourhood social networking service] during the first lockdown and being amazed at how engaged the community was, and just thinking that I had to try and do my bit too.”
“I’d spent a lot of the first lockdown reading and chatting to people in my family I might not have spoken to as much before. So I realised that book clubs might be a bit of a hidden social network to help us fight loneliness.”
A recent government survey on coronavirus and loneliness showed that nearly one third of participants reported their wellbeing had been affected due to loneliness during the first lockdown.
Although the current lockdown is set to end on 2 December, a new tier system and set of restrictions on social mixing for the Christmas period continue to potentially cause problems to individual wellbeing.
Freeman-Bassett said he continued with his search for more book clubs to add to his growing network: “If anyone reading is part of one and likes the idea – get in touch.”
