Combat loneliness
What your donation could do
A third of adults with a learning disability say they hardly ever or never go out to socialise. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Change is possible.
Luv2meetU, our friendship service, helps provide friendship, connection and community for people with a learning disability or autism. Together we are powerful. Please donate today to help combat loneliness.
£3 could help six people with learning disabilities connect by contributing towards ingredients for a virtual cooking class
£5 could go toward a bowling trip for someone with a learning disability who is part of our friendship service Luv2meetU
£10 could pay for someone with a learning disability to enjoy a night out at the cinema to watch the latest movie with their friends
Lou’s story
We all feel lonely sometimes, but our research shows that over a third of people with a learning disability feel lonely nearly always or all the time. People like Lou, who told us “I felt all on my own. I felt like I was in a bad place.”
Lou’s learning disability means she needs things explained slowly, and she struggles to communicate what she wants to say. Lou moved into her own home in early 2020 and explained “I didn’t have the chance to get to know anyone. My family was over an hour away and some days I didn’t speak to anyone. When I felt in a low mood I’d often have epileptic seizures.”
But soon Lou learnt about Luv2meetU, Hft’s friendship service to reduce the isolation and loneliness experienced by adults with learning disabilities.
“When I joined I was very lonely and Luv2meetU has helped me with my self-esteem… Being part of the group helped me come out of my shell. As I was doing more events at Luv2meetU I felt like I was becoming a different person. It made me realise that you have to love yourself, and then you can love other people too,” Lou said. Excitingly, Lou is now in a relationship with Tom, who she met at Luv2meetU. Lou told us “When I joined Luv2meetU I wanted to make friends and I didn’t expect to find a relationship. Tom is great, we just get on, it’s amazing!”
