Woman whose 'loneliness diary' went viral on TikTok launches donations drive
A Welsh woman who was inundated with supportive messages after posting about her daily loneliness has used her online following to help asylum seekers access basic toiletries.
Kelda Manley, 39, went viral after posting a moving video of her 'tough' day as a self-described 'lonely person' and said she has no friends outside of her family to 'go for a coffee or to the cinema with'. Manley, who's from Prestatyn and works as an immigration case worker, documented her daily routine in a TikTok video which went on to generate 220,000 likes, having said she 'just wanted to tell someone about her day'.
In her viral video, which has now been viewed more than 2.3 million times, she shares snippets of her day, such as her quick breakfast, buying lunch during her break at work, where she also has a browse through Morrison’s festive items and then her journey home before finally, she ends the clip on her winding down watching TV alone.
After being deluged with more than 2,000 comments - many posting how the video 'made them feel less alone' and that 'making friends as an adult is hard' - she's since received offers and support, whilst also using her post to help asylum seekers access everyday toiletries.
Manley told Yahoo News UK that while she does speak to her parents and brother regularly, she's struggled to make any connections outside of her immediate family. She suffered from depression in 2019 and said she 'realised how few people you have when that happens', with one former close friend even telling her to 'call me when you're better'.
Manley added that other friends have drifted out of her life after starting families and that she stopped communicating with people as she felt she was 'always the one making the effort'.
Loneliness has been a national talking point for a while and was even the subject of a government campaign last year when the Conservatives launched a £29m 'Know Your Neighbourhood' package aimed at bringing individuals and communities closer together, amid statistics which claimed one in four UK adults experiences loneliness.
Having started to post on TikTok in Christmas 2022, Manley has now found an online community who've encouraged her - and allowed her to help others. She's been invited to a number of local groups in Prestatyn and now hopes she can try to find someone to 'share the big moments in life with'. She said that after her TikTok post went viral, she didn't feel she had anyone she could tell about it.
Manley said she is comfortable doing things independently and has lived alone for 6 years, but sometimes she feels lonely when she has news to share. She explained: "For example, your video being seen by nearly two and a half million people, there's no one to celebrate that with, there's nobody to turn to, there's nobody to talk to in those really joyous moments, or recently when I lost my cat, there's nobody to talk to about it. I think then you suddenly realise that, actually, you're pretty much alone."
She has found that TikTok has helped with that and has not only met people to do a quiz but also received invitations to attend events in her area or even further out in Liverpool to meet people and socialise.
She said: "There's a couple of environmental groups that have joined as well, all through people who've just messaged on Tiktok and say, "come along", so it's made a huge difference, and it's given me outlets to go and do things."
As well as finding new connections, Manley has successfully 'paid forward' the kindness of strangers who've got in touch, by encouraging them to donate toiletries to asylum seekers near where she works in Cheshire. After adding an Amazon 'Wishlist' link to her profile, she said she became 'inundated with deliveries' of shower gels, deodorant, toothpaste, hairbrushes, and other basics. "Oh my god, my house was at one point piled with deliveries, we took eight bags yesterday as well. It just keeps coming, just loads of toiletries, socks, all kinds of things for the asylum seekers", she added.
She'd spoken on TikTok about how desperate charities were for toiletries to give to asylum seekers at her local drop-in, and people had asked how they could help - so she directed followers to the link in her bio. She said she is glad to have found a nice side to the social media platform as they have been generous in donating those items, whilst also being a community who've given Manley a creative outlet.
Expert tips on how to deal with loneliness
Loneliness can affect your life in a number of ways so it is important to not ignore the feelings you are experiencing.
"Loneliness is far more common than we might think. It's a state of mind which impacts us all differently," explains Paul Guess, mental wellbeing expert at Caba. "It can be caused by many different things, such as a major life change, changes to living or working conditions and ill health. Signs of loneliness can include loss of confidence, tiredness and feeling frustrated and alone."
He added: "This can worsen our overall wellbeing and increase the likelihood of needing help with depression and anxiety."
While loneliness isn't usually resolved by doing "just one thing", there are a few ways to help you overcome these feelings.
