Company offers to find penpals for 'lonely' older people in Milton Keynes

Older people in Milton Keynes are being invited to join a new pen pals initiative to help them banish loneliness.
Unique concept to tackle lonelinessUnique concept to tackle loneliness
Unique concept to tackle loneliness

The campaign has been launched by retirement housebuilder, McCarthy and Stone,, who want to help retirees form new friendships from afar.

They say the art of letter writing might have taken a back seat due to emails, text messages, WhatsApp and FaceTime in recent years.

McCarthy and Stone will match individuals from across Milton Keynes based on their hobbies and interests, and pair them with someone else from around the country who is looking for companionship.

Unique concept to tackle lonelinessUnique concept to tackle loneliness
Unique concept to tackle loneliness

The scheme is open to anyone aged 60 and over. Applications can be made online at https://www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/pen-pals/ or by calling 0800 8100089 and providing their name and address.

Simon Pendlebury, Regional Sales and Marketing Director from McCarthy and Stone, said: “We understand that for a lot of older people who may be experiencing loneliness, opening up and sharing how they’re feeling with loved ones can be difficult. They do not want to be seen as a burden."

He added: “There are also some members of the Milton Keynes community who can’t get and out about easily to meet new people, to visit family, and it is often these people who can feel the most alone. The aim of the pen pal scheme is to give over 60s who perhaps aren’t as social media savvy, another means to connect with people, giving them the opportunity to strike up new friendships and have someone they feel they can write to when they feel the need.”