When the Beatles sang about “all the lonely people” did they know that so many of us would be lonely all these decades later? When I joined Re-engage more than five years ago, the first Minister for Loneliness had been appointed and the national conversation about loneliness was really taking off. Then came the pandemic and the intense loneliness experienced by people in lockdown. And now? I can’t think of many people who can say they’ve never been lonely. Yet loneliness is a significant issue that affects the physical and mental well-being. It can increase the risk of depression, anxiety, dementia, cardiovascular disease and premature death.

Re-engage has an impact on people every day, making sure that people are able to find each other and find common ground and the joy of connection. As I leave Re-engage to join another charity working with older people, I am struck by how the stigma attached to loneliness has reduced a lot over the last five years. That national conversation has been important in allowing us to be honest about our feelings of loneliness and that is definitely positive, despite the irony that it means that we are more likely to hear people saying that they feel lonely.

I am immensely proud of the work we have done at Re-engage and of the team that is making thousands of connections possible. This charity is full of determination to grow and to ensure that loneliness is reduced, and friendships thrive.

What is the future for loneliness? Is it here to stay as a pervasive problem in society? I hope that it will reduce, and it is clear that there are things that help: finding things in common and sharing ideas and experiences make a big difference. Feeling part of a community is important. One of the things I have said many times in my role at Re-engage: no one prepares to be the last. It’s almost impossible for us to imagine that we might find ourselves with no one left – no significant other, no siblings, friends, children, colleagues. No one. But Re-engage has helped me meet and hear about thousands of people who have no one left.

So, perhaps the most important thing we can all do is make sure that we continue to make connections and find new people and that, for those of us who are young and strong, we remember that the older people around us might get an incredible amount out of even a small connection with us and each other.

Thank you to the volunteers and team at Re-engage. Most of all, though, thank you to the older people who have inspired me and the whole team and reminded us every day that a commitment to connection is crucial.