Four different postcards have been designed inviting the recipient to do something fun together: have a cup of coffee, share a meal, play pétanque, or let’s dance! The sender is free to suggest something else on the back of the postcard. The goal is to encourage residents to think of and invite someone else in the neighborhood or city. This creates more awareness in society to look out for each other.

In Maastricht, 5 out of 10 residents report feeling lonely. Sources for this are Where does your municipality stand, neighborhood surveys, and the health monitors from the GGD Zuid-Limburg. The Local Approach to Loneliness Maastricht 2023–2025 outlines objectives to increase knowledge about loneliness and stimulate more social initiatives around loneliness. The postcard campaign is part of this. “How beautiful is it if you can make a difference for someone with just one postcard. Especially the summer can feel long for people who stay at home. Every cup of coffee is part of a movement to look out for each other, which can happen all year round, but especially in the summer,” said Alderman Jeroen Hoenderkamp of Wmo, Welfare, Social Affairs, and Health.

The postcards will be distributed free of charge this week in various locations: in Heer, Wittevrouwenveld, Heugem, Malberg, Caberg, Nazareth/Limmel, Biesland/Mariaberg, Borgharen, and the city center. Distributors can be recognized by t-shirts and bags featuring the motto Together is more fun. They will engage with residents and explain the postcard campaign, asking them if they would like to send a postcard with an invitation to someone else. The postcards are designed to be easily understood by Dutch speakers and non-Dutch speakers and refer on the back to the digital social map where people can find more information about loneliness and current activities and support available in their neighborhood.