Bristol-based loneliness charity, Marmalade Trust, has received a £50,000 boost from

10 sponsored walks undertaken around the country by colleagues from Heineken-owned Star Pubs, which has eight pubs across the city and 244 in the South West.

To mark the culmination of the fundraising drive, Star Pubs colleagues walked from Marmalade Trust's St Pauls Office to the Tythings pub in Bishopsworth to meet up and celebrate with charity volunteers and beneficiaries. It was the final leg of a mammoth effort for some of those taking part, who had done a 195 virtual walk or cycle, the equivalent of Land's End to Bristol.

Since making Marmalade Trust their official charity a year ago, Heineken UK and Star Pubs have raised over £100,000 on its behalf with activities ranging from a gala ball to fundraisers such as quizzes and cake sales in pubs.

Money raised from the walks will help fund loneliness awareness training in pubs as well as Marmalade Trust initiatives in the Bristol, Somerset and South Gloucestershire areas, such as a telephone one-to-one companion service and a Christmas lunch. In addition, it will pay for campaigns to increase understanding of the issue of loneliness in society.

To understand the current scale of loneliness in the country, Star Pubs commissioned research of 2066 adults in April 2024*.

• 50% say they feel lonely at least once a week and a tenth of respondents (11%) feel lonely every day. The most common time to be lonely is on weekday evenings with a third of people reporting this.

• To make their weekend appear busier, nearly 40% (39%) claim to fib all the time or sometimes fib about what they have done

• Four out of ten people (39%) say they think the uncertain and worrying times we live in make them feel more lonely than they would otherwise.

Lawson Mountstevens, Star Pubs' Managing Director said:

"We can all feel lonely at times. It is not exclusive to one age group or situation. Our research shows the scale of the issue and how the current worrying times are exacerbating the situation. It also reveals the vital role pubs play in alleviating loneliness by acting as social hubs. The main reason for going to the pub for three quarters of pubgoers, according to our research, is to connect with other people and for more than a third it's to engage with their community."

Amy Perrin, Founder of Marmalade Trust, Marmalade Trust says:

"We are a small charity with a big mission. We are dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness and empowering people to make connections. That includes signposting people experiencing loneliness to the right support and resources to help them make new connections and friendships. Thanks to the money raised by Star Pubs and Heineken, our reach is spreading and is also making an impact in pubs, the heart of communities, and the length and breadth of the country. Head to our website to learn about loneliness and to get involved in our Loneliness Awareness Week 2024 on 10 -16 June."

Case Studies:

Charlie (27)

"I recently joined the Marmalade Trust and was happy to be a part of Christmas 2023. I went on Christmas day for a meal and was given an amazing hamper gift. It was at a particularly tough time for me as I had just had to put Bella, my assistance dog, down and I was in the early stages of grief. Two months later my grandfather also died and that made the timing of Marmalade Companions good for me. Being connected by these two Marmalade projects has felt like there is someone there for me. It is important to me that people understand what loneliness means because they can then reach out to others that they're not connected to.

"I think the issue of loneliness and isolation has got worse in recent years, especially since Covid. I was working in care during the pandemic and was worried about taking Covid into work and making people ill.

"More community facilities and places for people to come together would help because people who were experiencing loneliness would then know they a had a space where they could meet up."

Alison (56)

Alison is a volunteer who has also experienced loneliness. She says

"I contacted Marmalade Trust to volunteer because I know what loneliness is like. My son has grown up and Christmas day is not the same. I delivered Christmas hampers to service users doors on Christmas day. It was very rewarding letting them know Marmalade Trust is there to support them - they help service users feel less lonely and enable them to make friends. I've had my own business for 20 years and unfortunately three years ago had a mental breakdown. Mental illness is a hidden killer. I've always been proud so without realising it had become lonely because I lost trust in myself. I now give my time which costs nothing but gives me a purpose knowing that I'm making a difference to people and leaving them with a smile."