In his latest guest column, Marc Jobson, manager of Budleigh health and wellbeing hub, talks about teaming up with the Budleigh Community WOrkshop Trust to purchase the old fire station

The activities of the Hub at Budleigh reach far beyond Budleigh, into Exmouth, Woodbury and the outlaying villages.

Budleigh maybe our base but we seek to work in all areas and to draw people in from those areas.

We aim to help people to help themselves to become healthier.

That maybe physical health needs or it may be their mental health that needs a boost.

We have sadly seen over recent months as people have been required to isolate and shield that levels of mental health and wellbeing have dropped significantly.

Why does this matter to me you might ask?

Because we know that being lonely and isolated has a similar influence on your health as smoking or obesity.

Loneliness increases the risk factors for progression of frailty, developing coronary heart disease and stroke.

This not only affects those people directly but costs the NHS and thus you, significant amounts of money.

The tricky bit is that you and others have never actually admitted to being lonely.

That is why we have joined forces with Budleigh Community Workshop Trust.

They aim to help lonely and isolated people of all ages, sexes and abilities to come together and socialise in a workshop environment.

They desperately need funds to support their bid to purchase the Budleigh Fire Station when it goes to auction in September.

Please donate generously including gift aid by visiting Facebook @BudleighCWT or the Crowdfunder page

Together we can end loneliness.