Christmas lunch, good neighbours and why tackling loneliness matters

On a December afternoon in the Albion Suite at the Pirelli Stadium, I watched loneliness and social isolation lose.

Two hundred and fifty people aged over fifty. A proper Christmas lunch. Noise, laughter, bad cracker jokes and the odd dubious Christmas jumper. And then the entire Burton Albion first team turning up, walking the room, sitting at tables, chatting and taking photos.

For a few hours, nobody in that room was on their own. That matters more than anything.

I am Dom Anderson, Head of Community at Burton Albion Community Trust. A big part of my job is simple. Help people feel less alone and less cut off.

Our over fifties programme exists for that reason. Yes, we do Golden Memories, walking sport, chair based exercise and social groups. Yes, there is tea and a frankly dangerous number of biscuits. Underneath all of that sits the real aim. Give people somewhere to go and someone to talk to, so that loneliness and social isolation do not get a grip.

Christmas brings that into sharp focus. If you are surrounded by family, it can be a lovely time. If you are bereaved, skint, or just feel like the world has moved on without you, it can be a really tough few weeks.

That is why this event was so important.

Being a good neighbour

In my speech on the day I talked about being a good neighbour.

Burton is a town built on work, brewing and looking out for each other. The people who come to our over fifties groups personify that. They notice when someone has not turned up. They check in on each other. They make space at the table for new people. They remember stories, birthdays and hospital appointments.

They are exactly the kind of neighbours any of us would want.

For one afternoon, the Albion Suite became a street full of those neighbours. People who might usually eat alone sat at busy tables. There were reunions with old friends and conversations with complete strangers who did not feel like strangers for very long.

That is what tackling loneliness and social isolation looks like in real life. Not a campaign logo. A room full of people who care about each other.

A parent club that genuinely cares

None of this happens without our parent club.

Burton Albion did not just give us a quiet corner somewhere. The club gave us the Albion Suite, the support of staff, catering and hospitality, and the backing to go big. That sends a message. You matter. This event matters.

Then the first team walked in and the whole afternoon went up another level.

The players could easily have dropped in for ten minutes, waved, taken a photo and gone home. They did the opposite. They stayed. They sat down. They asked questions. They listened.

I watched players lean in to hear stories about long shifts on the shop floor, loved ones who are no longer here, games from the 1970s and 1980s, and grandchildren who now wear Burton shirts. I saw phones passed around with old photos on them. I heard laughter travel from one end of the room to the other.

The feedback from guests has been the same message again and again. The players made their day. In some cases they made their Christmas.

That is what a proper community club looks like. It is easy to talk about values. It is harder, and much more important, to live them.

More than a nice Christmas story

I speak to businesses a lot about corporate social responsibility. In my last Chamber blog I wrote about why CSR has to be more than a badge. It has to be about real relationships and real impact.

This Christmas lunch was not a PR stunt and it was not an extra. It was core business for us.

It took staff time, planning and money. It also delivered something you cannot measure on a simple spreadsheet. It reduced loneliness and social isolation. It boosted confidence. It reminded older people in our town that they are seen and valued.

That is the bit I want to showcase through the Burton and District Chamber of Commerce.

There are companies across our region who care about their communities and who want their CSR to mean something. Partnering with organisations like Burton Albion Community Trust is a way to make that real.

Where you come in

So what can local businesses do.

Some will be in a position to sponsor programmes like our over fifties offer across the year. Others might support specific events, provide transport, contribute food, or encourage staff to volunteer at sessions.

You do not have to redesign your business model to help tackle loneliness and social isolation. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer is time, consistency and a bit of practical help.

My invitation is simple. Come and see it.

Come to a Golden Memories session. Join a walk. Sit in the room and watch what happens when people who might otherwise be sat at home on their own start to relax, laugh and talk. Once you have seen that, the conversation about partnership looks very different.

Walking out, not alone

At the end of the afternoon I stood by the door and watched people leave.

They thanked staff. They said goodbye to players. They checked who was coming to the next session. They arranged lifts and phone calls. They walked out of the Albion Suite knowing there were people who cared whether they turned up again.

For me that is the whole point.

Burton is a town of good neighbours. Burton Albion should be a club of good neighbours. Burton Albion Community Trust is here to make those connections happen.

If you are part of the Chamber network and any of this strikes a chord, I would love to talk. Together we can make sure tackling loneliness and social isolation is not just a Christmas effort, but something we work on all year round.