This week is National Loneliness Awareness Week 2025, organised by the Marmalade Trust. It’s the UK’s biggest annual campaign dedicated to breaking the stigma around loneliness and encouraging meaningful connections within communities. While we live in an ever-connected digital age, many people still experience a deep sense of disconnection "quiet and pervasive emotional emptiness" that isn’t always obvious

We spoke to our Chapter community and asked them how they felt about Loneliness, connections and friendships, here's some thoughts on what our community said. 

Do you sometimes feel lonely? A letter to our Chapter Community 

In many ways we're more connected than ever. Endless WhatsApp groups, podcasts in our ears, a long list of local work out classes, the 'hello's' on the school run, the fleeting 'good weekend?' at work. But the truth is, this life stage is full of invisible paradoxes. You're connected and busy, a full house and lots of social gatherings, surrounded by people and yet craving the quiet but also rarely feeling seen and understood. 

You notice your diary has more 'catch ups'  than connections. 

Do you find yourself yearning the friendships of your 20's sometimes? Raised on Sex and The City dreams of Sunday Brunches and endless get togethers. The ease of being able to hang out, book holidays, pop in. You feel like you've outgrown some friendships and others maybe feel abit 'we should hang out!' but its never arranged? 

Between the shifting life stages, digital overload and the work/family juggle you're craving soulful conversations, meaningful connections, memories, new experiences. 

You try and arrange meet ups but you're met by a thumbs up or heart emoji and 'let me check the diary' and it seems everyone including you are busy, really busy, distracted, a full work schedule, family life, parenting, grandparenting and just tired, very tired and the calendar is now booked up 2 months out. 

Where has the spontaneity gone?

So here we are navigating the stretch between old friendships and new ones. How can we build or nurture meaningful connections with the people we love and make new ones in the 'connected' generation? 

Heres an emotionally intelligent guide to help nurture genuine friendships 

First of all think about what you're looking for? What kind of connection do you need and want.  Can you count a few really good friends in your life. Because truly that's enough. One or two quality friends are more fulfilling that big groups and often the online world has fooled us to think that friendships are different at this stage. If you feel like you need to put some more effort into your friendships here are 6 ideas to get deeper 

Reconnect with old friendships

Psychologists say our most meaningful new opportunities come from old connections. The people you once loved but lost touch with. Those friendships that happened really easily before you were overthinking it. 

Initiate with courage 

Someone has to be the first person. Like hood if they're similar to you with similar life experiences they'll be feeling exactly the same. Its a good time to send a message and get a bit deeper, asking those questions...where's your favourite holiday destination and why, what do you love to cook in the summer?

Make a suggestion to a friend with details 

'Hey, I thought it would be fun to go and do x on this date' or 'see x on this date. I can sort and pick you up?' Lots of people will love this thoughtful and effortless approach and they can organise the next time. 

Be the friend you'd love to have 

Listen, remember things, be thoughtful, open, genuine and honest. Pop it in your diary when they have a Dr's appointment, an important job interview, their kids birthday. A thinking of you candle, good luck coffee and early morning message goes a long way. 

Bring back the Pop in's 

When did socialising get so complicated. Invite a friend to call in for a cup of tea or glass of something one evening and dont feel the need to do a panic clean, genuine friends love you for who you're. 

Turn hobbies into socials 

Seek out event and clubs that interest you. They could be in the next town, village or city. Friendships dont have to be within 10 minutes. Painting, Pottery, Cooking, Dance. Adults deserve to have hobbies and fun too. Arrange a dinner party based on a theme it could be the Summer Solstice, The Full Moon, A Charity Event with likeminded souls and suggest each friend to bring a friend and a dish. 

Here's to finding your people. Loneliness or seeking deeper connections isn’t a failure. It’s a signal. A quiet inner knowing that you’re now ready for more connection, more closeness, more softness in your life. You've outgrown weird energy, flakiness, and going through the motions of basic catch ups. You're so ready for genuine connections and you're going to find them.