Loneliness and social isolation are chronic problems in the elderly in the North East. An estimated 50,000 pensioners in the region are chronically lonely and are 50% more likely to die prematurely than people with good social networks. This means loneliness is as big a mortality risk as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.Many are dog lovers and when they ask for a furry friend from Wag & Company, they get the bonus of a very nice two legged one at the same time. Over 330 amazing Visiting Wag Teams are currently making the difference, from Berwick-upon-Tweed, down to Stokesley, across to Haltwhistle and pretty much everywhere in between.

My Mum, along with Sandie, Lola and Jessie, regularly visit some wonderful people who thoroughly enjoy the time they get to spend with their new 4 and 2 legged friends. Over Christmas, which is a happy time for many of us but a lonely one for others, I had the pleasure of joining my mum and Sandie on one of their visits to a local hospital and it really was wonderful to see the joy it brought to the patients there.