Bill Nighy Helps Combat Loneliness with Mince Pies

What could be more Christmassy than old smoothie Bill Nighy, sat in front of a crackling log fire with tea and mince-pies, settling down to read a heartwarming festive tale from a vintage storybook?

Well, you're in luck: the Jo Cox Foundation has just launched a new film highlighting #MincePieMoments, an initiative to combat loneliness by encouraging people to meet, chat and share a mince-pie, as part of the Great (Christmas) Get Together.  

Narrated by Nighy, The Tale of the Lonesome Pie follows a sociable mince-pie called Si, who is accidentally parted from his family of 12 festive folk, lost, found, goes on a journey, makes a new friend and helps brighten someone else’s day to become the happiest pie on the street. 

The 180-second film, which was created and written by St. Luke’s, will be screened exclusively at London's historic Regent Street Cinema, appearing as a pre-roll to every film screening in December 2017, including It’s a Wonderful Life, Laurel and Hardy, A Disney’s Christmas Carol and Blade Runner 2049.  It will also run across the Jo Cox Foundation social channels.

It follows the publication of a final report by the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission earlier this month, which found over nine million adults are often or always lonely - and that loneliness can be as harmful to health as obesity or smoking 15 cigarettes a day. 

“Loneliness can be resolved with a little time and kindness, which doesn’t cost a thing," says Richard Denney, St. Luke’s' ECD. "Hopefully our film will get people thinking about this widespread problem and, more importantly, do something about it.”

Check out the agency's previous work for the Jo Cox Loneliness Commission, Back to Life, below.