Campaign to End Loneliness (CEL), TransPennine Express (TPE), House of Books and Friends, and author Max Dickins are joining forces at Manchester International Airport Station on Monday 3 July.
Customers travelling through the station are invited to stop by for a free tea or coffee between 10 and 12 as part of TPE’s partnership with CEL.
The event will celebrate Max’s latest book ‘Billy No-Mates: How I Realised Men Have a Friendship Problem’, which was written in response to Max realising he had no one he could call his best man when he proposed to his fiancé.
Max quickly learnt that he wasn’t the only man struggling with friendships. For decades, countless studies from across the globe have confirmed that men have few close friends than women.
Darren Higgins, Commercial Director at TPE, said: “As part of our ongoing partnership with the Campaign to End Loneliness we are always looks for ways in which we can help our customers and colleagues make meaningful connections.
“We were really inspired by Max’s story which encourages men to open up about their struggles with friendships. I’m hoping customers and colleagues passing through Manchester Airport Station on Monday take advantage of a free cuppa and the opportunity to learn more about loneliness and how to tackle it.”
House of Books and Friends, a Manchester based bookshop will be attendance as it believes bookshops can play a powerful role in combatting loneliness through the power of connection.
Robin Hewings, Director of the Campaign to End Loneliness, said: “We’re really excited to be involved in this event and are very pleased that Max himself will be attending and talking to passers-by about his book.
“We have a long-running partnership with TPE and often collaborate on coffee mornings and initiatives such as ‘chatty benches’ to customers to learn more about how to develop connections and avoid loneliness.
“From my first conversation with Max – while he was writing the book – I recognised his extraordinary ability to get people talking and encourage men specifically to take the initiative in nurturing their friendships and being more open.
“Billy No-Mates: How I Realised Men Have a Friendship Problem is funny, heart-warming and highlights a topic that is heavily underdiscussed.”
