86 ACCESSIBLE MEETING PLACES TO PREVENT LONELINESS IN RURAL AREAS
Glabbeek
The municipality of Glabbeek set up this project as a solution to help combat loneliness.
Because it is accessible to all, there is a greater chance of drawing people out of their isolation. There is always an opportunity to encounter others at one of the meeting places where conversations are rapidly struck up. This has a binding intergenerational effect.
This project also encourages people to move and to exercise. This has a positive effect on their health; the slogan is still "a healthy mind in a healthy body". By using natural materials (on site) and/or recycled materials, we are also doing our bit for nature and the planet. This in turn has an indirect positive impact on the identity of the region. Walkers visiting the region are more likely to take a longer walk if there are places to rest along the footpath.
