For over five years the Club and Foundation have worked together to introduce initiatives to tackle loneliness and isolation in our local community. 

The Issue 

Over 15,500 people over 65 live alone in our region and research has shown that 10% of over 65’s say they are lonely most or all of the time. Loneliness can cause further mental health issues and reduces life expectancy by 26%. When considering that people of all ages and backgrounds can feel lonely and isolated at any time in their life there are thousands of people locally that would benefit from support. 

Our Solutions 

Baggies Buddies and the Hawthorns Hub are initiatives that deliver weekly get-togethers at The Hawthorns, trips, tours of the stadium and access to tickets with a ‘Buddy’ who offer companionship to anyone who doesn’t want to go to the match alone. To date we've delivered around 200 sessions at The Hawthorns, and an additional 320 online sessions to support our community through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why we need your help 

We run the weekly Buddies sessions for free, which are often the entry-route for people seeking companionship to address their loneliness. Thanks to our fantastic partners we can fund or subsidise special trips like the recent one to Manchester to visit the Football Museum, but with your support of a £10 donation we can deliver a session for a local person struggling with loneliness.

Get Involved 

If you, or someone you know could benefit from the services provided by Baggies Buddies or the Hawthorns Hub please contact paul.glover@albionfoundation.co.uk.