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Jolanda's avatar

I have a music group on Facebook where people with MS share their favorite music. We also ensure that someone is always present during the holidays so that people who feel alone or alone can enjoy the company and good music

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2551121284902261

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Sarah's avatar

Actually I'll write a useful comment as well as the self-pitying one I did below!

One thing I've found that has really helped me combat loneliness is volunteering.

This morning before work I volunteered packing fruit and veg boxes for a local food co-op. We buy produce from a wholesaler and and sell it for £10 a box - £1 of which goes towards "solidarity boxes" for people in our very mixed London community who cannot afford fresh fruit and veg.

On Saturday I will run my local parkrun. The following Saturday I will volunteer there.

On Wednesday and Thursday next week I am taking leave from work and volunteering at a vaccination centre.

I also volunteer a lot with GoodGym. Mostly doing group runs to a community project but there are also one-off "missions" to go and help an isolated older person with something, like hanging curtains or moving furniture. Often this is to help get people back from hospital - eg making space for a hospital bed. Other people do a weekly run to an isolated older person. It turns out these runs are really beneficial for the runner too. In London it can be easy even for young, healthy people to become isolated and lonely.

Volunteering has basically become the centre of my social life and volunteering for GoodGym in particular has been a lifeline. Because it's all local people I know that if I really need help there are so many people I can call on. A consultant friend who got sick in the first wave was able to call on me to go to the shops for her (and raid my freezer for healthy meals), and I was able to take care packages to another friend who was shielding. I know they'd do the same for me!

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