• YOUR coverage of Camden’s themed debate last week on social isolation highlighted the impact of this major issue across the borough and wider afield, (Tackle loneliness! Elderly woman orders cabs ‘so she has someone to speak to’, July 19).

One of our community challenges, identified to help deliver Camden 2025, is to investigate ways of working with residents, partners and the voluntary and community sector to tackle these issues.

We are fortunate Camden is home to a large and diverse Voluntary and Community Sector, and one of the most engaged local populations. We are already well placed to address these issues.

As well as contributing £2million a year towards the core funding of strategically important local groups, we have committed £1.6million of funding through Camden Community Impacts as part of our new way of partnership working with the local community.

This approach brings together local skills and knowledge to identify achievable solutions to social issues such as social isolation.

A few examples of the innovative work being undertaken in the borough by local groups; Home­Start, who offer free, confi­dential support, friendship and practical help to parents of children under five; Forum+ a LGBT partnership that uses art to tackle isolation; and Hopscotch, a Bangladeshi community action project that aims to build the social networks and support of older Bangladeshi people.

While we still have much work to fully understand and deal with the root causes of social isolation, it is heartening to know that, as a borough, we are on the front foot on our journey to achieve this. I want to thank every resident who volunteers locally to help their neighbours.

CLLR JONATHAN SIMPSON
Cabinet Member for Promoting Culture & Community Services