James Cosmo urges Scots to 'haud their wheesht' for charity

James Cosmo is urging Scots to “haud their wheesht” to raise money to tackle loneliness and isolation among older people in Scotland.

The actor has offered his support to Age Scotland’s The Big Wheesht campaign, which launches on Wednesday to highlight the silence older people live with on a daily basis.

People are urged to get involved during September in a number of ways, from staying silent for a day to avoiding social media for 24 hours or hosting a silent disco.

Money raised through The Big Wheesht will go towards the charity’s national friendship line, which offers friendship and support to older people struggling with loneliness and isolation.

Cosmo said: “Please support Age Scotland in their Big Wheesht campaign. Loneliness and isolation is a dreadful situation. We can all help. Thank you.”

Former STV children’s television presenter Glen Michael has also shown his support, getting his old friend from Cartoon Cavalcade, Paladin the talking lamp, involved.

Michelle Supple from Age Scotland said: “We’re delighted to have support from James Cosmo and Glen Michael accompanying this year’s Big Wheesht, and we hope to see as many people as possible accepting their challenge to ‘haud yer wheesht’ for a good cause.

“Loneliness and unwanted silence has a devastating impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of older people in Scotland on a daily basis. In fact, our recent research revealed that 10% of people over 50 – an estimated 218,000 in Scotland – feel lonely most or all of the time, with 53% saying that lockdown had made them lonelier.

“We’re truly grateful to James and Glen for speaking out and helping raise awareness of how we can all play a part in tackling loneliness and isolation.

“So, if you know someone who’s a real chatterbox or obsessed with social media – be it a family member, friend, colleague or even a teacher – why not nominate them to haud their wheesht and support older people in Scotland.

“Whether you choose to take part yourself, challenge someone else, or make it a group activity, we hope you’ll join us for The Big Wheesht this September.”

To sign up for The Big Wheesht, head to the Age Scotland website.