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The Marmalade Trust

844. Amy Perrin

Amy Perrin, from Bristol, is the founder of ‘The Marmalade Trust’, an organisation that tackles loneliness in the elderly population, especially around Christmas.

After hearing three members of her tea-party group would be alone for Christmas, Amy took them to a local restaurant, and was inspired to create a charity that provides a free Christmas lunch for isolated individuals. Since establishing ‘The Marmalade Trust’ in 2013, Amy has provided more than 200 people with a welcoming and communal lunch and recruited over 400 volunteers, with this year’s event expecting 135 people across nine venues. Further fundraising has allowed Amy to extend the service, including launching the UK’s first loneliness awareness week in June this year, which reached over 750,000 people online.

In a personal letter to Amy, Prime Minister Theresa May said:

“By creating ‘The Marmalade Trust’ to provide support for those facing loneliness and social isolation, you have brought together hundreds of people who would otherwise be alone. Your fundraising and awareness-raising efforts have been truly inspirational and you should feel very proud of coordinating an annual Christmas event that welcomes older generations at a time of year which is about people coming together.”

Amy said:

“I am delighted and honoured to be given this award for my work in volunteering and setting up ‘Marmalade Trust’.  Loneliness is something I feel passionate about trying to address in our communities, and this award not only highlights our work, but raises awareness of the issue.  It would not have been possible to have supported and reconnected so many, without the incredible help and support of our ‘Marmalade’ volunteers – this award is for us all.”

See more on The Marmalade Trust

The daily Points of Light award recognises outstanding individual volunteers - people who are making a change in their community.

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