Aardman Animations teams up with Bristol Ageing Better for loneliness campaign

In order to portray a message about the widespread nature of loneliness among older people in the UK, Bristol Ageing Better has collaborated with Aardman Animations to create a short video clip.

The animation company, who are famous for comedy series such as Wallace and Gromit, have brought real-life interviews with older people to life with their signature animated characters. It highlights the issues that older people face, but also offers a number of tips for avoiding loneliness in later life, offering a humorous take on the serious matter.

The video opens with a message informing viewers that 3.9 million people in Britain say that TV is their main form of company. It also states that there are one million older people in England who say that they are lonely, 11,000 of whom live in Bristol. Recently, it was found that Sunday was the loneliest day of the week for older people, but there are a number of ways this can be helped, as our A-Z guide suggests.

Cheering up older people

The light-hearted video is brought to life by Aardman Animations in their trademark style, and may remind you of a similar series they created, called Creature Comforts. Characters such as cats, rabbits and chickens bring the interviews to life in a light-hearted manner, with older people giving their answers for how they beat loneliness by staying active, both physically and socially.

When talking about the older people involved, Heather Wright, executive producer at Aardman, told Adweek: “They gave us real stories that touched our hearts and minds. Our job was simply to bring them to life in a memorable way while addressing what is undoubtedly a serious issue for us all.”

The short clip finishes with the message, “We want you to know that you’re not alone and that there are things you can do to be less lonely.” For more information about the campaign, visit Bristol Ageing Better or head to the Age UK site.

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