From Big Lunches to doorstep deliveries – groups are making sure everyone has someone to turn to (Picture: Eden Project Communities)

It’s just one sleep until Christmas – with many ready to join family to pop open Bucks Fizz and crack open selection boxes.

But many are spending tomorrow, and the wider festive period, without loved ones.

As the cost of living crisis tightens, more and more people are falling into chronic loneliness.

Nipping out to shows, the pub or restaurants is now a costly activity – socialising is now seen as a luxury and not a priority.

But community groups up and down the country have come together to ensure no-one is left lonely this Christmas.

It comes as Eden Project Communities urge people to do their bit to reduce isolation – by holding events such as a Big Lunch.

Angela Perrett, 49, works at The Sprint in Bristol – a service providing door to door transport for elderly and disabled people.

Having spent nearly 15 years as a driver, the pandemic prompted Angela to expand her skills, and she now manages, and fundraises for, the charity.

Sprint makes doorstep delivers to its various members (Picture: Angela Perrett)

More than just a transport service, The Sprint provides a lifeline to its 300 members by giving them the means to get out into their communities.

Angela told Metro.co.uk: ‘We can hear people talking on the bus about the cost of living crisis, it’s really hard to here.

‘We’ve got members that aren’t putting their heating on due to energy bills.

‘We have to tell them that help is out there – you can’t just sit there freezing.

‘We’ve got one lady who boils the kettle in the morning, makes a cup of tea and puts the rest of the hot water in a flask and works her way through it during the day to keep warm. It’s awful to hear the worry.’

On trips out, Angela and her colleagues even notice that their members have lighter shopping baskets. Gone are small treats – they’re a luxury these days.

Angela says staff at Sprint ‘feel the members are like family’ (Picture: Angela Perrett)

To help cover costs for members, the Spring team now look for ways to subsidise meals and trips out.

They held a Big Lunch for Christmas on Tuesday, with singalongs and other fun activities for members.

Angela added: ‘For some of our members, we are the only person who they see in the week. They’ll talk to us about doc apps, families – everything.

‘We are so much more than a bus service – it’s one of the most rewarding jobs you can have. It’s like a big family.’

Meanwhile Emily Connally, 39, has been dashing across Oxford to help reach those in need this December.

She’s determined to ease loneliness in her community while also supporting people through the cost of living crisis – all while reducing their carbon footprint.

Emily is helping people stay fed and warm through the cost of living crisis (Picture: Emily Connally)

When the pandemic hit, Emily got together with other local mums to offer up homecooked meals to vulnerable meals.

The project expanded into the Cherwell Collective which fed 10,000 guests between April and November in 2022, and have saved the carbon equivalent of one million car miles over the last 12 months.

She told Metro.co.uk: ‘I started it in my garage, it was a very small hyper local thing for the neighbourhood – and now we have thousands of members.

‘I had no expectation it would be so big but I was also a bit naïve about this kind of thing, abut the social cohesion and wider opportunities it could bring.’

Cherwell opened its doors for a Big Lunch at Christmas on 23 December, with ready-made Christmas dinners for 25 December and gift hampers available to those who need it.

Tonight, Emily expects to save around 12 tonnes of products that would otherwise be wasted as she collects surplus food from supermarkets.

Next on her list is launching WISH, a new initiative aimed at guiding people to repurpose their waste and eliminate single-use items from their lifestyles.

She added: ‘Big Lunch isn’t just food – it’s something people need on a greater level. It’s a chance for people to get together and meet more people without spending more money.

‘All communities have seen hubs closed and social areas shut, all you have left is like costa or maybe a library.

‘We want to make sure everyone is equipped to fight climate change and that we’re all doing this together. ‘Community means coming together to try and make something better and to share love and food and expand your family to include your neighbours.’

Over in Enniskillen, in Northern Ireland, Selwyn Johnston used his passion for building community to bring his town together for a spectacular Jubilee celebration earlier this year.

The four-day spectacular celebration kicked off with a beacon lighting on 2 June, accompanied by 100 pipers and a thanksgiving service at the local cathedral.

Community groups are taking matters into their own hands to tackle the loneliness epidemic (Picture: Eden Project Communities)

A collective of people, including the WI, Rotary Club, Scouts, Guides and the Mothers Union, all worked together to take on the events.

The 51-year-old has always been a strong believer in the importance of forging local connections, and using these to learn about the past and leave a legacy for years to come.

Like Angela and Emily – Selwyn is urging others to come together to support each other.

He said: ‘Community is the glue that binds us all together. There are so many people doing fantastic work in our community.

‘They’re generous with their time and just want to share their passion in the knowledge that it’ll improve our learning and mutual understanding.’

In London, Steve Barnabis is working to help young people suffering with feelings of isolation.

He previously told Metro.co.uk about ‘an increase in anxieties and lack of confidence and self-esteem’ among those his charity, Project Zero, supports.

The organisation hosts a community hub with a cafe, radio station and event hall – to let young people enjoy real life activities rather than stay home.

And there’s plenty others up and down the country doing their bit to try stem the heart-breaking rise of people suffering from extreme loneliness.

Alan and Gwen Cook live in Leigh on Sea and run Just Ride Southend, an inclusive cycling scheme.

They’ve been bringing their community together at annual Big Lunch events since 2012 and, this winter, invited their neighbours to a Christmas light switch on celebration on their road on 26 November – complete with hot drinks and carols.

Over in Bromley, Athina Hapeshis has been inspired by her successful work during the pandemic that brought her local community together.

She went on to hold a Big Lunch at Christmas on December 11 with lots of decorations, mince pies, carols and even a visit from Santa.

Meanwhile Brendan D’Cruz, in Aberfan in Wales, is also reaching out to those in need this festive period.

He runs a programme in his community aimed at reducing loneliness and isolation by working with people in the local area to improve connections and create long-lasting change.

Working in partnership with local organisations, Brendan aims to boost physical and mental wellbeing.

And in Colchester, Angie Fairbrother knows the value of a strong community – having lived on the same estate her entire life.

During the pandemic, she converted her landline to a volunteer helpline and spent her days supporting people feeling isolated and in need of practical support.

This winter, the former police officer organised an advent window project, with 24 homes unveiling their special windows at special mini Big Lunches at Christmas each evening in the month.

Similar to Angie, Marilyn Kendall in Barnet, London lives in a close-knit community.

Those in her crescent often comment that they feel like they’re part of a village community rather than a busy area of London.

It’s all thanks to Marilyn, who organised her first Big Lunch in 2011 in a bid to get to know her neighbours better and support people who might be feeling
lonely.

These days, community spirit is in full bloom, with a supportive network in place offering everything from career advice to help with shopping for older residents.

On 20 December this year, Marilyn’s community will be having a carol singing event as part of The Big Lunch at Christmas, complete with homemade mince pies!

1 in 8 people suffer from chronic loneliness – can you help make a difference? (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Far more people are facing chronic loneliness for the first time, alarming new data revealed in November.

Research, conducted by Eden Project Communities, found that one million people now report suffering from chronic loneliness – 1 in 8 people – despite the end of social distancing measures.

More and more people are now ‘tightening their belts’ and ‘reducing their social interactions’ to save money.

As winter takes hold and the living cost crisis continues to rock the nation, there is concern that the number of people experiencing loneliness will continue to rise.

Tracey Robbins, the Eden Project’s UK delivery manager, told Metro.co.uk: ‘Things are going to get worse [if change doesn’t happen].

‘People will get isolated and they’ll start losing empathy with others. That’s when communities start to fail.

‘We need to come up with ideas now and invest in communities to make sure people are resilient enough to face these challenges together’.

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Many are ready to join family to pop open Bucks Fizz and crack open selection boxes – but not everyone is lucky enough to spend Christmas with loved ones.