Esther Rantzen on loneliness: 'It's as dangerous to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day'
AFTER being awarded with a Damehood in the New Year's Honours List, campaigning TV presenter Esther Rantzen has added another accolade to her collection.
The Childline founder, who for three decades has used her profile to help vulnerable people of all ages, has been named Tesco Celebrity Mum of the Year.
"I'm absolutely thrilled, it's terrific," she told Express Online.
"It's a particular pleasure because it's a recognition that a grandmother is also a mother and I think it's a very important relationship.
"I think grandmothers can be such a tremendous support and asset to the family and very often that role isn't recognised. I'm very grateful."
Esther who has three children - Rebecca, Miriam and Joshua, with late husband Desmond Wilcox - and one grandchild, says the key to being a top mum is to always offer support.
"I won't say that I always succeed but I think the aim is to provide unconditional support," the 74-year-old said.
"I only try and give advice when asked for it, which is a difficult rule to follow."
The English broadcaster feels there is something "particularly special" about the mother-child relationship and adds that her kids have totally changed her life.
Esther Rantzen Interview Tesco Mum Of The Year Awards
Older people are fantastic
Esther was included in the New Year's Honours List for her tireless charity work and dedication to improving the lives of children and older people.
She admits the recognition was a shock.
"I was stunned. Joan Collins got her Damehood at the same time as me.
"She has always been a role model of mine. When I grow up I'm going to be like Joan Collins," she quipped.
"I can't get use to people calling me Dame Esther. My children have had fun with it and have called me Dame Mum."
Esther says her new title reflects not just her achievements but that of the team who work "day in, day out and at night" for her charities.
"When I realised the Damehood was about Childline and The Silver Line, that's what made it so special," she said.
"The work those teams do is so important and crucial."
Esther founded child protection charity Childline in 1986, which has now been replicated in 150 countries worldwide.
In 2013, the journalist launched a new initiative called The Silver Line, the only 24-hour, free, confidential helpline providing information, friendship and advice to older people.
Esther was inspired to start the charity by her feelings of loneliness after her husband, Desmond Wilcox, passed away in 2000.
"I wrote about my own feeling of loneliness and I was inundated with letters of response.
"The idea for The Silver Line just came to me one day. I didn't really have a grand plan.
"I met as many people as I could, put together a board of trustees and got my head around the service we could provide.
"It's working better than I could possibly have imagined."
In its first year, the helpline received more than 300,000 calls.
Esther is passionate that more needs to be done to eradicate loneliness in Britain and The Silver Line, which sees volunteers phoning up lonely elderly people for a friendly chat, is a step in the right direction.
"We've got ourselves into a culture in Britain in which older people feel that they don't want to be a burden - they want to live independently as long as they can.
"A lot of people take pride in their independence and have too much pride to ask for help," she said.
"But the fact is that we aren’t very well suited to living entirely on our own. We’re not those sort of animals, human beings need each other and my heart breaks when I hear about these 5 minute care visits.
"Carers are being told not to have any kind of conversation because that takes too much time up."
She urges people who haven't talked to anyone all day to call The Silver Line. Volunteers are on hand 24 hours a day and the service is free and confidential.
Esther warns about the effect loneliness can have on a person's health.
"It can lead to depression. There is research to say that loneliness is as dangerous to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
"Gradually you lose your self-esteem. I had a wonderful letter someone called Erin who described herself as a waste of space. That's awful.
"Older people are fantastic. The fact that you may be disabled or not be able to get out doesn't mean you're not of any use.
"I think the greatest gift you can give people who are suffering unhappiness is hope that things will be better tomorrow."
Dame Esther Rantzen has been awarded Tesco Celebrity Mum of the Year 2015.
For more information on the Tesco Mum of the Year Awards 2015, please visit tes.co/10years.
For more information on The Silver Line or to become a volunteer, please visit thesilverline.org.uk.
