Mum's plight inspires son to tackle loneliness

A man inspired by his mum's loneliness after the death of her partner has developed a friend-finding app for people in Guernsey.

Ian Price said his mother's experience showed how easy it could be to become lonely and he wanted to help "bridge the gap" for those feeling alone.

Marlene Price, 76, lost her partner around two and a half years ago and found it difficult to adjust to life alone. She said the app created by her son "would help a lot of people".

"I find that because I haven't got any close friends, it can be very lonely. If you've got someone who can just pop in and have a cup of tea or something, it makes a difference."

Ian said there was "definitely a stigma" around admitting you were lonely.

The Guernsey and Alderney Wellbeing Survey 2023 showed 21.7% of islanders reported being "intensely lonely".

Ian said he hoped to tackle the issue head on. "People kind of think they're admitting failure if they're admitting they're on their own," he said.

The app, called Alongside, is aimed at over 55s who want to meet people with common interests but may not want to attend big meet ups or organised events.

Ian said: "There are lots of really useful groups out there and lots of places to go but there are a lot of people that just won't go to those events, so hopefully this is a little bit easier".

He stressed Alongside was not a dating app but simply introduced people for companionship.

He added that safety was "really important" and a number of safeguarding measures had been put in place to ensure people's safety.

Those include everyone being ID checked, a reporting tool and scam warnings.

Users are also set-up to meet in a public place with the date and location set out on the app.

The app also allows the user to nominate a relative to set up and oversee the account if they are unable to use technology.

Ian said since flagging the app on social media he had received a flood of responses, particularly from people in a similar situation to him.

"People are doing a lot for their families but they just can't be there all the time," he said.

He added that the app was not just for the elderly.

"There are a lot of people that go through mid-life divorces that suddenly feel lonely as well," he said.

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