Esther Rantzen in NI: people can forget needs of the elderly

Dame Esther Rantzen was in Northern Ireland this week to talk about the loneliness suffered by older people, an isolation she says that she is not exempt from herself.
Dame Esther Rantzen pictured at one of the offices of her charity Silver LineDame Esther Rantzen pictured at one of the offices of her charity Silver Line
Dame Esther Rantzen pictured at one of the offices of her charity Silver Line

Dame Esther Rantzen was in Northern Ireland this week to talk about the loneliness suffered by older people, an isolation she says that she is not exempt from herself.

The TV personality and charity pioneer, now in her late 70s, was the guest speaker at a Rotary Club event in the Europa hotel on Thursday to raise funds for the charity which she set up in 2012 – The Silver Line.

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She told the News Letter she had the pleasure of visiting Northern Ireland regularly due to her work with Childline and now The Silver Line.

Undated handout photo issued by the NSPCC of Dame Esther Rantzen, in the year 1986 when she founded ChildLineUndated handout photo issued by the NSPCC of Dame Esther Rantzen, in the year 1986 when she founded ChildLine
Undated handout photo issued by the NSPCC of Dame Esther Rantzen, in the year 1986 when she founded ChildLine

In days of her TV show That’s Life, she also paid many visits to these shores: “I was talking to someone recently who reminded me how often we came to Northern Ireland during the run of That’s Life, when a lot of people were not coming because of the Troubles.

“We got Britain singing here, did street interviews here, I’ve always enjoyed my trips here.”

Of That’s Life, she said: “It was a very rare combination – we were, I hope, entertaining and funny but we were also hard hitting and investigative. We managed to combine laughter and tears. I think that’s what made us so popular here in Northern Ireland – you’re very attuned to that.

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“I like to think of the dog that says ‘sausages’ as our iconic figure. Still to this day when I walk around people are saying ‘sausages’ to me.”

Dame Esther Louise Rantzen DBE in the Newsletter offices.
Picture by Arthur Allison.Dame Esther Louise Rantzen DBE in the Newsletter offices.
Picture by Arthur Allison.
Dame Esther Louise Rantzen DBE in the Newsletter offices. Picture by Arthur Allison.

During her That’s Life career Dame Esther founded the Childline charity in 1986, and in 2012 she set up The Silver Line – a free confidential helpline (0800 470 80 90) offering information, friendship and advice to older people in the UK 24 hours a day.

The charity has 68 volunteers in Northern Ireland, and 125 older people in Northern Ireland who are matched to have a weekly phone call. Approximately 13,000 calls have been made to the helpline from Northern Ireland.

Dame Esther said: “Principally people are calling about loneliness. Sometimes people ring us up just because they need someone to say goodnight to, sometimes because they are suffering from some sort of disability, they can’t get out of the house and may not be talking to anyone for days on end. Silver Line offers a real set of friends for people who are otherwise isolated.

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“Our volunteers are not only older people, but more often they are. A lot of our younger volunteers tell me they like talking to older people because they have such a good relationship with their own grandparents.”

Dame Esther Rantzen with Silverline CEO Sophie AndrewsDame Esther Rantzen with Silverline CEO Sophie Andrews
Dame Esther Rantzen with Silverline CEO Sophie Andrews

Dame Esther, whose husband Desmond Wilcox died in 2000, continued: “Childline and Silver Line are charities which are extremely close to my heart. They fill my life one way and another.

“Silver Line was born because I wrote about my own feelings living alone for the first time when I was 71 and not liking it. No matter how busy you are, you come home to an empty flat with no-one to have a cup of tea with. For me, and for a lot of people, loneliness means having plenty of people to do something with but nobody to do nothing with.

“It is extraordinary that we’re about to take our two millionth call this summer and this is at a time when we’re supposed to be more connected than ever.

“Other challenges we face surround funding.

People will give to children, animal, and cancer charities very regularly, but don’t necessarily reach into their pockets to support older people.”