PEOPLE living and working in Salisbury are to be treated to company and conversation this week, thanks to an event run by Salisbury Reds.

The bus operator is marking Responsible Business Week by launching its Chatty Bus, an initiative designed to help reduce loneliness and isolation among local people.

“With one in 10 people going at least one day a week without speaking to anyone - and a third of Britons admitting they deliberately catch the bus to have some human contact - we want to help break the ice and get people talking,” said Salisbury Reds managing director, Andrew Wickham.

“Our Chatty Bus will be positioned at Guildhall Square on Wednesday 1 May between 10am and 12pm. And our team will busy themselves talking to anyone and everyone. The initiative is all about engaging in conversation with our passengers and helping to remove the stigma of talking to strangers.”

Minister for Loneliness Mims Davies added: “The Chatty Bus programme is a simple but powerful way to bring people together.

“Loneliness is one of the biggest public health challenges this country faces, and we are working with businesses, charities and councils across the country to help tackle it.

“The Chatty Bus is a wonderful example of how companies can play a key role in combating social isolation.”

Responsible Business Week is an annual awareness campaign run by the charity Business in the Community. It is designed to inspire businesses to share and take action to create a positive change in society.

For more information about Salisbury Reds, visit: salisburyreds.co.uk