Lesley Haycock of Castle Furniture Project

Wed, Mar 2nd 2016 at 12:50 pm - 2:00 pm

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The importance of human interaction

Ms Lesley Haycock greatly surprised members of St Andrews Rotary Club on 2nd March.   Members had heard of the Castle Furniture Project but had not realised it is a front for Befriending lonely people.   The work of recycling furniture encouraged self-esteem and confidence.   Befriending was essential because we live in, “The Age of Loneliness” as shown in a recent BBC programme.   There were many reasons why people felt lonely.  The young looked at phones but didn’t interact.  Elderly people were living more and more on their own with less and less interaction.  The link between loneliness and dementia or depression had been proven, and the physical effects of loneliness upon the body had been estimated as harmful as fifteen cigarettes a day.   The cost upon Fife Council of merely 80 persons in such condition amounted to £1 million per year.   An experiment had shown that smiling - even a fake smile - for 2 minutes ten times a day cured clinical depression in less than a year.  The significance was that humans need physical, face to face interaction.   The Befriending Scheme, run as an integral part of the  Castle Furniture Project was making a big difference.   Before John Ardley proposed a vote of thanks, Ms Haycock highlighted the importance of volunteers.   Those interested should contact Ms Haycock at 07486 691108 or download a form from the Project website.  

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