This Christmas, we are helping to reduce loneliness and social isolation with our virtual Christmas event, which will see our colleagues and and the people we support, invited to an online hour of Christmas cheer.

With an estimated 8% of the UK and 14% of over 65s spending Christmas on their own this year (up 4% YOY), and over 1 million people due to work on Christmas Day, we are hosting an online Christmas event where our colleagues and the people we support can log on, chat, and join in the festive celebrations with others. This is the first time the AFG team has undertaken the event, to offer social interaction to those who might be alone this Christmas.

Everyone who registers to join the digital event will also be sent a bespoke AFG Christmas decoration with a personalised note thanking them for their part in providing the amazing care that we offer to the people that we support, and the team is encouraging them to share their decorations online as part of the Christmas event.

Our Director of Operations, Tilly Simmons, commented, “Although Christmas is the time to be merry, however, sadly, we know for many it can be a time of loneliness, with less interaction with others. We want to ensure our amazing team and those they support can share the merriment of Christmas Day even if they are alone this year by logging onto our virtual Christmas Cheer event. Our hope is for all the people we support to feel connected, not isolated during the festive period.”