Lonely This Christmas

Roy Croucher became the face of the Lonely this Christmas campaign

You've made my Christmas: Your generosity brings an end to their loneliness

Festive treat: Roger Young, who works at Asda in Wheatley, collects fish and chips served up by Jamie Bachman, of Howe & Co

Festive treat: Roger Young, who works at Asda in Wheatley, collects fish and chips served up by Jamie Bachman, of Howe & Co

Lonely this Christmas: Elderly feel a lot chippier after first fish van visit for 20 years

Christmas cracker: Volunteers Margaret Ansell and Jackie Warner help to serve up a festive treat for the Over-60s Club at Seacourt Hall

Christmas cracker: Volunteers Margaret Ansell and Jackie Warner help to serve up a festive treat for the Over-60s Club at Seacourt Hall

Lonely this Christmas: Elderly given a taste of Christmas cheer to help prevent loneliness

Good to be back: Former Unipart employee Roy Croucher, right, shares a joke with Michael Krasser, sanctuary care client relations manager for Age UK

Good to be back: Former Unipart employee Roy Croucher, right, shares a joke with Michael Krasser, sanctuary care client relations manager for Age UK

Lonely this Christmas: Firm’s festive dinner provides comfort and joy to the lonely

Food glorious food: Some of the girls who are getting ready for a free community dinner at the Blackbird Leys Community Centre on Christmas Day

Food glorious food: Some of the girls who are getting ready for a free community dinner at the Blackbird Leys Community Centre on Christmas Day

Lonely this Christmas: Big feast and meals on wheels banishing loneliness on Leys

Having fun: A tea party organised by charity Contact the Elderly

Having fun: A tea party organised by charity Contact the Elderly

Lonely this Christmas: Winter spells isolation for the many old people living alone

Cheers: Hazel Plested with reporter Michael Race at the Oxford Mail’s Christmas lunch

Cheers: Hazel Plested with reporter Michael Race at the Oxford Mail’s Christmas lunch

Lonely this Christmas: Getting into the festive mood at Oxford Mail’s Christmas lunch

It's good to talk: Margaret Davis looks forward to her weekly calls from a Phone Friend volunteer at Age UK Oxfordshire

It's good to talk: Margaret Davis looks forward to her weekly calls from a Phone Friend volunteer at Age UK Oxfordshire

Lonely this Christmas: A phone call all that it takes to bring happiness for Margaret

Front from left, cook Robert Huffnagle; Molly Arthurs who will be attending this year’s event and Wantage charity champion Ray Collins; back, care coordinator Jenny Ward and Waitrose partner coordination manager Rachel Green

Front from left, cook Robert Huffnagle; Molly Arthurs who will be attending this year’s event and Wantage charity champion Ray Collins; back, care coordinator Jenny Ward and Waitrose partner coordination manager Rachel Green

Lonely this Christmas: Slap-up Christmas lunch aims to put a smile on lonely faces

Marilynn Cross, 66, whose husband died very suddenly 13 months ago

Marilynn Cross, 66, whose husband died very suddenly 13 months ago

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Lonely this Christmas: Grief of bereavement makes Christmas Day ‘time to dread’

Caring touch: Operations and quality manager Rick Taylor-Baker, branch manager Yvonne Flickinger and care co-ordinator Reaba Muratza at Mary Knowles Homecare in Banbury Road, Kidlington

Caring touch: Operations and quality manager Rick Taylor-Baker, branch manager Yvonne Flickinger and care co-ordinator Reaba Muratza at Mary Knowles Homecare in Banbury Road, Kidlington

Lonely this Christmas: How you can spot someone is feeling desperately lonely

Knees-up: Walter Spencer plays the mouth organ as Eric Hall leads the festive sing-along following a Christmas lunch at the Clockhouse

Knees-up: Walter Spencer plays the mouth organ as Eric Hall leads the festive sing-along following a Christmas lunch at the Clockhouse

Lonely this Christmas: Mail appeal puts spotlight on Leys work against loneliness

Isolated: Ninety-year-old Grace Fenn often spends days by herself at her home in Abingdon

Isolated: Ninety-year-old Grace Fenn often spends days by herself at her home in Abingdon

Lonely this Christmas: You can help elderly feel less lonely and cold this Christmas

Festive treat: Food, wine and orange juice is in plentiful supply as residents tuck into a beautiful Christmas lunch

Festive treat: Food, wine and orange juice is in plentiful supply as residents tuck into a beautiful Christmas lunch

Lonely this Christmas: Coming together for a special Christmas lunch

Staying positive: Daphne Griffiths, 88, looks forward to her weekly calls from a volunteer as part of Age UK Oxfordshire’s Phone Friends service

Staying positive: Daphne Griffiths, 88, looks forward to her weekly calls from a volunteer as part of Age UK Oxfordshire’s Phone Friends service

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Lonely this Christmas: ‘I do feel lonely. I would like a dog, but I couldn’t take it out’

Support: Unipart’s director of corporate responsibility Deborah Astles with art room assistants Ruth Gillett and Zenda Du Plessis

Support: Unipart’s director of corporate responsibility Deborah Astles with art room assistants Ruth Gillett and Zenda Du Plessis

Lonely this Christmas: Unipart staff leap into action after Roy’s story of loneliness inspires + videos

Lonely this Christmas: Stitching up a way to support older residents this Christmas

Lonely this Christmas: Stitching up a way to support older residents this Christmas

Lonely this Christmas: Stitching up a way to support older residents this Christmas

Lonely and vulnerable: Colin Packer, 84, with a picture of his late wife Doris

Lonely and vulnerable: Colin Packer, 84, with a picture of his late wife Doris

Lonely this Christmas: When loneliness can be eased with just a friendly phone call

Jolly: Jenny Kent is in festive spirits at the Golden Sunday lunch at The Jam Factory

Jolly: Jenny Kent is in festive spirits at the Golden Sunday lunch at The Jam Factory

Lonely this Christmas: Golden Sunday serves up big slice of festive magic

Hazel Plested, who lost her husband John three years ago, with Joey, her pet budgie

Hazel Plested, who lost her husband John three years ago, with Joey, her pet budgie

Making sure that no-one’s left alone over the festive season

Valuable: From left, Alan Wright, Margaret Rose Dolton and Brenda Palmer of Friendleys have a laugh and a joke at one of their get-togethers at the Blackbird Leys Community Centre, in Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford

Valuable: From left, Alan Wright, Margaret Rose Dolton and Brenda Palmer of Friendleys have a laugh and a joke at one of their get-togethers at the Blackbird Leys Community Centre, in Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford

Loneliness Campaign: ‘When you’ve been alone for so long, it builds up on you...’

Friendly voice: John Ogle has weekly phone chats with Phone Friend volunteer Mary Wood

Friendly voice: John Ogle has weekly phone chats with Phone Friend volunteer Mary Wood

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Loneliness Campaign: Phone Friends offer a lifeline for the lonely

Happy days: Agnes Tew, left, and Sarah Fonzarelli are volunteer phone friends at Age UK

Happy days: Agnes Tew, left, and Sarah Fonzarelli are volunteer phone friends at Age UK

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Loneliness Campaign: ‘Asking how someone is can set them up for day’

Loneliness Campaign: Let’s join forces to make it a right festive knees-up

Loneliness Campaign: Let’s join forces to make it a right festive knees-up

Loneliness Campaign: Let’s join forces to make it a right festive knees-up

Isolation: Gesmi Beiris is one of many who live alone

Isolation: Gesmi Beiris is one of many who live alone

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Loneliness Campaign: Phone chats that ensure loneliness is kept at bay

Partnership: Joan Clifford, 96, is the full-time carer for her husband Arthur, who suffers from dementia. She admits she feels lonely at their Ducklington home

Partnership: Joan Clifford, 96, is the full-time carer for her husband Arthur, who suffers from dementia. She admits she feels lonely at their Ducklington home

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Loneliness Campaign: ‘We had so many friends. We had to give everything up all at once’

Pick up the phone and become a volunteer: Paula Donaldson, co-ordinator of Age UK Oxfordshire’s Phone Friends service

Pick up the phone and become a volunteer: Paula Donaldson, co-ordinator of Age UK Oxfordshire’s Phone Friends service

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Lonely this Christmas: Become a ‘Phone Friend’ and help ease loneliness

'Snow permission': Age UK Oxfordshire chief Paul Cann

'Snow permission': Age UK Oxfordshire chief Paul Cann

Loneliness Campaign: Clearing the path to a neighbourly Christmas

All alone: Former Unipart worker Roy Croucher, 86

All alone: Former Unipart worker Roy Croucher, 86

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Loneliness Campaign: Help us to ensure they’re not lonely this Christmas

Keeping her mind active: Irene Edwards, 86, likes to do puzzles, books and quizzes at her flat in Summertown

Keeping her mind active: Irene Edwards, 86, likes to do puzzles, books and quizzes at her flat in Summertown

Loneliness Campaign: Alone and left to heat up a frozen dinner

‘Lonely days’: Roy Croucher, 86, lives alone and doesn’t get out much because he is on oxygen

‘Lonely days’: Roy Croucher, 86, lives alone and doesn’t get out much because he is on oxygen

Loneliness Campaign: ‘Some days TV is my only companion’