21 May From Isolation to Leadership: Joy’s Journey Through Community Connection

For many people, isolation can happen gradually. A change in routine, the loss of companionship, or fewer opportunities to socialise can quietly leave someone feeling disconnected from the world around them.

For Joy, that turning point came after the loss of her beloved dog, who had been central to her daily life. Without regular walks and everyday conversations, her social world slowly began to shrink, and she became increasingly withdrawn.

Everything started to change when Joy attended a local coffee morning with the Community Builder.

Through the friendships she formed there, Joy helped launch the Evening Stroll group in 2017 alongside another member. The group met twice a month between April and September, gathering at the Babbacombe Cliff Railway Café for gentle walks followed by time to chat and socialise.

As Joy became more involved, her confidence began to grow. By the end of the first year, members had formed such strong friendships that they didn’t want to wait until the following spring to meet again.

With Community builder guidance, Joy took a major step forward by helping complete a funding application so the group could continue meeting through the winter months and explore new walking routes further afield by using the Torbay Communities minibus.

The following winter, the group introduced social evenings with games of pool at the Ellacombe Conservative Club, giving members another opportunity to stay connected and support one another during the darker months.

Over time, Joy’s confidence and leadership flourished. She eventually took on the role of organising and leading the strolling group herself. The group evolved to include weekly walks, with routes beginning from both Babbacombe and the Harbour and ending with coffee or a social drink together.

For eight years, the group ran successfully and built a loyal community of regular members who looked forward to meeting each week.

People travelled from across the area to attend. One gentleman, referred through Social Prescribers, regularly came from Paignton, while another travelled from Newton Abbot whenever work allowed. One lady even walked from Barton to join the group.

Joy’s growing confidence also led her to share her experiences and speak at community events about the positive impact the group had on her life.

She later helped launch another community project, “Singing for Fun,” alongside three other members. The group has now been running for three years and has since expanded into “Singing for Fun on Tour,” performing at care homes and for former member Rose, who could no longer attend due to mobility difficulties.

More recently, Joy even delivered her own talk at the Autumn Club about the “Luton Girls’ Choir.”

Joy’s journey shows how simple community connections can transform lives. From feeling isolated and uncertain, she has become a confident organiser and leader who now helps create opportunities for others to connect, belong, and thrive. It has been incredibly rewarding seeing Joy’s confidence grow from someone attending a coffee morning to someone leading and sustaining groups for others.

If you’d like to find out more about Community Building, please send us a message – I’d love to hear from you…

Usha, Community Builder

Email: [email protected]

Mob: 07702557723