Since starting in 2017, The Chatty Cafe Scheme is one of the country’s leading non-profit organisations tackling loneliness and social isolation. Over the years, we have built up a huge amount of organisational experience and knowledge, through delivering services, running volunteer programmes and partnership working. We listen to people with lived experiences of loneliness and use their feedback to help shape and continuously improve our organisation.

Loneliness is complex and can often be linked to various mental and physical problems and our strategy is to help tackle loneliness which could in turn, improve a person’s mental and physical health. Whilst our services are not intended to be crisis support, they act as preventative measures and stop a person from hitting crisis point, which severe loneliness leads to. Preventative services such as ours, lead to fewer pressures on the NHS.

So many incredible people are involved in The Chatty Cafe Scheme and truly support our ethos that ‘having a chat can brighten someone’s day.’ In addition to hundreds of beneficiaries, this also includes huge numbers of amazing volunteers, who often report that helping people feel less lonely makes them feel better, too.

We have a highly effective model that has proven to make a substantial difference in tackling loneliness. A recent two-year in-depth study and ongoing research show that our services are significantly reducing beneficiaries’ loneliness and making a positive difference to many stakeholders including volunteers, businesses, other community groups, social prescribers, and GP practices. 

We provide three different pathways to support those experiencing loneliness and social isolation. Beneficiaries can access support via face-to-face meet ups at Chatter & Natter tables, via the telephone by receiving a weekly call from a Chatty Cafe volunteer and/or by joining a Chatty Cafe online group.