Teignmouth Library may have the answer to the question asked in The Beatles Eleanor Rigby song with an event held earlier today as part of Loneliness Awareness Week.

The ‘tea and natter’ morning was aimed at encouraging people to connect over a hot drink and biscuits with activities including weaving, jigsaws, board games and Lego to help people feel at ease.

Community Jigsaw at Teignmouth Library
Jigsaws offer an informal way for people to connect (Jo Bowery / MDA)

‘We wanted to do something for all ages and give people something to do rather than just have formal chats,’ explained Teignmouth Library First Assistant Rachel Oakes who organised the event.

National Loneliness Awareness Week, which started on Monday (June 10), was started by the Marmalade Trust to raise awareness of loneliness and encourage people to connect with each other. This year’s theme is ‘random acts of connection’ which is aimed at inspiring everyone to increase everyday moments of connection that help people feel happier and less lonely.

The idea for the Teignmouth Library event came after librarians realised that their monthly ‘Book Chat’ group was providing more than just an opportunity to talk about what people had read but was a chance for members to chat about anything.

Teignmouth Library front entrance
Teignmouth Library held a tea and natter event to combat connect people as part of National Loneliness Awareness Week (Jo Bowery / MDA)

‘After the first few sessions of Book Chat, we noticed that people were coming because they wanted to meet people and make connections,’ Rachel commented. ‘So that’s why today we have put out resources we already have, such as our community weave project, puzzles and Lego,’ she added.

The librarians have also put out leaflets that direct people to other local organisations that offer social connections such as Teignmouth’s Alice Cross Centre and the befriending service offered by Volunteering in Health.

One person who has first-hand experience of how Teignmouth Library can offer more than just books is Tricia. ‘When I moved here, I didn’t really know anyone and I don’t have much family,’ she said. But after joining the Book Chat group, Tricia became so involved that she joined the Friends of Teignmouth Library.

According to a 2023 survey by Nextdoor in partnership with the Marmalade Trust, 85% of adults said they had experienced loneliness in the previous 12 months and nearly half felt chronically low.