Tackling loneliness

We are supporting the trial of a new community service to help tackle loneliness among people aged 65 and over.

This builds on the unique role colleagues in delivery play in their communities and highlights the high levels of trust our customers have in us.

During the trial, which has been developed with the support of the CWU, our postmen and women will make regular scheduled visits to pre-selected voluntary customers while out on their rounds.

On the doorstep, we will ask five set questions to check on the customer’s safety and well-being. The responses given by those individuals will be recorded on PDAs and the information will be fed back to the local authority to organise any further assistance as necessary.

There are three trial sites – Whitby, parts of Liverpool and New Malden – and all participating colleagues are being given the requisite training and support they need in order to offer this valuable service.

Sue Whalley, CEO Post and Parcels UK,said: ‘Royal Mail is pleased to be working with the Home Office, local authorities, and Call and Check Ltd to offer our support on this new community initiative to help tackle loneliness and support isolated or lonely people in getting help quickly and effectively if they need it.

‘Our postmen and women are out in their communities six days a week and are often first on the scene when someone needs assistance.

‘The purpose of this trial is to gauge interest in how Royal Mail could help support such a service more widely on a commercial basis, building on the high level of trust customers have in our people.’