Working Together To Tackle Loneliness
13:00 - 14:00, Thursday 23rd October 2025
Chair: William Roberts, Chief Executive, RSPH
Speakers:
- Professor Andrea Wigfield, Director of the Centre for Loneliness Studies, Sheffield Hallam University
- Helayna Jenkins, Principal Loneliness Champion, London Borough of Bromley
- Harry Hobson, Co-founder and Director, Neighbourly Lab
- Dr Helen MacIntyre, Research and Development Manager, Neighbourly Lab
Loneliness is a subjective, unpleasant or distressing feeling of a lack of connection to others, alongside a desire for more, or more fulfilling social relationships. It is a common experience across the life course and when loneliness is experienced persistently it can have a negative impact on health and wellbeing.
This free webinar will examine the evidence about the prevalence of loneliness, which population groups are more likely to experience loneliness and consider practical strategies for reducing loneliness in the population. We will also hear about interventions and approaches that can improve the lives of those living with loneliness.
Chair: William Roberts, Chief Executive, RSPH
William has been a senior leader in the NHS across roles in public health, commissioning, strategy, transformation and planning. He is a registered nurse who has worked in both hospital and community services, and as a nurse specialist in tuberculosis and HIV.
Harry Hobson, Co founder & Director, Neighbourly Lab
Additionally, Harry is exploring the development of tools and technology that can help specific population groups that face challenges in building or maintaining social capital, such as; newcomers to an area or individuals with social anxiety brought on by ASD or other cognitive traits. Harry is also committed to finding strategies that increase social opportunities for those most susceptible to chronic loneliness, ensuring that their individual needs and challenges are met with innovative and inclusive solutions.
Helayna Jenkins, Principal Loneliness Champion, London Borough of Bromley
Helayna is an Incorporated Geotechnical Engineer, with around a decade’s experience working in the construction industry.
Since 2022, Helayna has been helping to shape local society as Principal Loneliness Champion using her ‘problem solving skills’ in a way, to bring people of all ages, stages of life and backgrounds together. Helayna and many others in the London Borough of Bromley are helping to increase social connection opportunities and reduce the stigma of loneliness and isolation.
Dr Helen MacIntyre Research and Development Manager, Neighbourly Lab
Helen was Head of Evidence at the Campaign to End Loneliness from 2022-24 and worked on addressing loneliness through the built environment and an evaluation of tackling loneliness interventions. Prior to that, Helen worked as Research and Learning Lead for Ageing Better in Camden, researching and writing about very practical solutions to tackling social isolation and loneliness among older people.
Recently, Helen has been involved in developing approaches for tackling loneliness in community settings, universities and schools and has also written ‘A brief guide to loneliness among young people and children at school’ with colleagues at Queen Mary University of London.
Professor Andrea Wigfield, Director of the Centre for Loneliness Studies, Sheffield Hallam University
Andrea established the Centre for Loneliness Studies in 2017 and prior to that was Director of a number of research centres, within academia at the Universities of Sheffield and Leeds, and in the private sector at the Policy Evaluation Group. Andrea has a longstanding interest in marginalised groups facing adversity and has carried out research to understand their everyday lived experiences and evaluations to explore the effectiveness of interventions to support them. She is currently interested in loneliness across the life-course, particularly in meaningful relationships and the wider societal determinants and policy implications. She has led a number of research projects and evaluations on loneliness and social isolation and supervised PhD students to successful completion.