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Charities in the north-east and Highlands have hailed the easing of lockdown restrictions as a “huge step forward” for those suffering with mental health issues and loneliness.
Alison Campbell, senior coordinator at Befrienders Highland in Inverness, said her organisation has experienced a 62% increase in the number of matches her coordinators have been handling since April 2020.
However, she added that the loneliness charity has also witnessed a large uptake in volunteers signing up to help those in need since the start of the pandemic.