Maureen Lipman backs Jewish News’ ‘Keep Talking’ campaign during isolation
Coronation Street actress famously starred as Jewish grandmother Beattie in the 1980s BT adverts, encouraging people to chat on the phone.
Maureen Lipman has backed a Jewish News campaign to encourage the community to keep talking when in isolation.
The Coronation Street actress famously starred as Jewish grandmother Beattie in the 1980s BT adverts.
And she’s now stressing the importance of keeping in contact with loved ones, neighbours and others as millions of over 70s and other vulnerable people prepare to self-isolate for 12 weeks. And while the original adverts were all about the humble landline, Jewish News’ ‘Keep Talking’ initiative encourages our readers to also make use of modern technologies such as video calling, Whatsapp and a plethora of other platforms to reduce loneliness.
Richard Ferrer and Justin Cohen, co-publisher of Jewish News, said (simultaneously!): “The importance of remaining close even when we are physically separated can’t be over-estimated. We are today issuing an invitation to any of our isolated readers to contact us if they would like to chat – whether about the current news dominating the world, our work at the newspaper or just a casual chat.
“Email us at editorial@thejngroup.com and both of us alongside other members of our team will be happy to talk. We’re also hgely appreciative that one of our community’s most celebrated figures – Maureen Lipman – has also agreed to make calls to some of our readers. We urge everyone to follow her lead by picking up the phone or switching on your computer and keep talking.”
The campaign is also being supported by organisations like JW3 and Jewish Care, whose CEO Daniel Carmel-Brown said: ““During these unprecedented times, it is absolutely vital that we look after each other as much as we can. If you know that someone is likely to be lonely or isolated, reach out to them, pick up the phone, use video calling where possible. We will be focussing our resources on those without any networks or support, and we need everyone who is able to, to do their part to ensure that the most vulnerable in the community are looked after.”
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