MP Pledges to Tackle Loneliness in Ealing and Acton
Rupa Huq vows to take more time for people in Jo Cox commemoration
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Westbourne Road street party)
Ealing Central and Acton MP, Rupa Huq, has pledged to 'not be in such a hurry and take more time for people' as part of a commemoration for the murdered MP, Jo Cox.
The Labour member for Batley was killed last year and a special commission has been relaunched in her memory.
Events have been held all over the country to mark the anniversary and Rupa Huq, who personally knew Ms Cox, took part in the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness by pledging to help in Ealing Central and Acton.
Jo had originally set up the Commission, along with 13 organisations, and her legacy is being continued - raising awareness about loneliness and working to try and reduce the stigma of being lonely.
A British Red Cross survey found one in five people said they always or often felt lonely.
Rupa commented “I was proud to be part of the Great Get Together bringing people together. But being lonely isn’t just a feeling, it’s considered to be as bad for our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Many people link loneliness with age, but it’s often triggered by big changes in life”. Jo herself said, ‘Young or old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate’.”
The Jo Cox Commission is working with Government, businesses and voluntary groups to make recommendations on how to reduce loneliness. It stresses how we can all play our part be it starting a conversation with a neighbour who we know is on their own, picking up the phone to a relative or friend you haven’t spoken to for a while or saying hello to someone in the supermarket queue.
(Great British Chai Party with Cllr Hitesh Tailor)
Rupa expressed her sadness at the loss of her former friend and colleague but remarked,
“I’m glad to be working at a local government level with Hitesh Tailor of Ealing Council who I attended the Great British Chai Party at the Acton Asian Association aimed at the elderly. It was also great to be at the Westbourne Road street party recently and judge the cake competition where all ages were present with the whole community coming together.”
4 July 2017