Charity helps disabled Coventry woman overcome loneliness

Nat Parr, who was paralysed from the chest down after an illness, says the Chat Central scheme has helped tackle feelings of loneliness

A woman who was paralysed from the chest down after an illness says a scheme aimed at connecting people has given back her life.

Nat Parr, from Coventry, said the city's Chat Central project stopped her feeling lonely when the Covid-19 pandemic left her isolated.

"I don't know what I would have done without them, to be honest," she said.

The scheme was set up to tackle social isolation among adults and is run by Voluntary Action Coventry (VAC).

Ms Parr had years of rehab after her illness and spent almost a year in hospital, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

She learnt to paint with a brush taped to her hand but said the subsequent pandemic left her feeling alone.

"I was completely housebound, and completely cut-off from everyone. It became really lonely, really isolating," she said.

But help came when Chat Central began putting on online classes which Ms Parr said were a lifesaver.

"It was absolutely amazing. I got my paints out again, I got back into creating. It was company, and it just gave me life back again," she said.

"Even though I couldn't leave the house, I did so much. It's taught me another way of living now."

Chat Central is run by the charity Voluntary Action Coventry and holds weekly events including outings to help people connect

The scheme, which received funding from the National Lottery, was aimed at boosting people's confidence and helping them develop skills, VAC said.

Post-pandemic, the group runs weekly free or low-cost group activities including comedy nights, outings and bowling, as well as working with people one-to-one.

Since launching in 2020, the scheme has worked with more than 300 people in the city including new parents, refugees and people with long-term illnesses, Nicola Smith, from VAC, said.

"There are lots of people that have got out of practice with socialising, so they're not used to leaving the house and meeting someone for a coffee, for instance," she added.

"Chat Central offers people a therapeutic safe environment to practice socialising and to build up those skills, and feel welcome as well and feel part of a group."

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