Created by Marmalade Trust, Loneliness Awareness Week (15 – 21 June) is a campaign dedicated to raising awareness of loneliness. It’s all about creating supportive communities by having open, honest conversations, acknowledging that loneliness affects us all at different times of our lives.
This year, the week coincides with Independent Bookshop Week, so we were super excited to work with our sister organisation, House of Books and Friends and some amazing partners to celebrate the place bookshops, charities and volunteers hold in bringing people together, tackling loneliness and building friendships.
To kick off the week we held two Chatty Café brunches at the bookshop. As well as a bounty of croissants, muffins and orange juice, we were joined by our Chatty Café volunteers who are around every Monday and Wednesday (12pm – 1pm) to spark up conversations with customers. It was lovely to see strangers come together and spend the afternoon chatting away.
On Thursday we held our Bookish Summer Social, which was a great way to meet fellow bookworms! For the event, we displayed all the entries and winning pieces from our Adults Creative Writing and Art competition for people to discuss, read and enjoy. The pieces were judged by local illustrator and artist Hiumandy Ho and author, Connor Hutchinson, who kindly volunteered their time and provided feedback for all entries – a big thank you to Mandy and Connor for making the competition possible!
It was a joyous occasion awarding the winners their prizes and hearing them explain how their experiences of loneliness, belonging and connection inspired their creative work. Everyone was welcome to eat some snacks and enjoy a free, fun-filled evening. It was the perfect way to celebrate Independent Bookshop & Loneliness Awareness Week 2026!
On Saturday we ran our first Books & Friends Connection Tours. These free tours are less about history and more about meeting new people and discovering local places to connect. Using the Manchester UNESCO City of Literature Map, our relaxed tours started at House of Books & Friends and featured a snapshot of the city’s literary highlights, what community activities they offer and how to get involved. We then ended the tour back at the bookshop where the groups stayed and go to know each other better over a free hot drink.
Throughout the week, we also had our Belonging Box on display, primed and ready for customers to leave a note for someone and help give loneliness a voice. We had some lovely reflections, with people sharing what loneliness looked and felt like for them and where they feel like they belong the most. These places included, in nature, community walking groups, and at House of Books & Friends!
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us through the week. We look forward to working together to keep on creating a safe space for people to connect and our community to grow not just during Loneliness Awareness Week, but all year round!
Watch our Loneliness Awareness Week wrap up video here.
To find out more about Loneliness Awareness Week and the work of Marmalade Trust, click here.
Follow the gunnercooke foundation on Instagram at @dogoodfaster to find out more about The Loneliness Project.
