Fighting social isolation in Marlow was the message from the town's Mayor during her annual civic address yesterday, as she called on residents to form new social ‘street associations’.

Cllr Suzanne Brown, who is nearing the end of her second year in the role, used her Civic service on Sunday afternoon to stress the importance of ending loneliness in the town.

Cllr Brown told a full congregation at All Saints Church that a recent in-depth survey by Churches Together in Marlow had found social isolation to be the number one threat to residents.

And after forming a street association where she lives to tackle it, the charismatic mayor stressed the problem goes further than many people think.

She said: “The biggest problem we have in Marlow is social isolation.

“Everybody think social isolation just affects the elderly but it is single mothers who cannot get out of the house to see their colleagues, it is people who live on their own.

“It [street association] is a social network on your street and you look after each other, not just the person immediately next to you but the whole street.

“I didn’t realise there was so much fear and loneliness out there. The older we get, the more we need each other, that is why I hope many more will happen.”

Cllr Brown is an activist for social integration, managing Age Concern on Glade Road and hosting annual Christmas dinners for those with nowhere else to go.

She helped form an association in Mill Road and South Place where she lives, with the group meeting regularly and now standing at over 80 members strong.

The group rallied round one resident who was recently targeted by burglars, a reaction Cllr Brown called “amazing”.

With an estimated 50 per cent of older people living alone by 2020, the Mayor called for residents to get behind the scheme and form their own groups where the live.

Dignitaries including High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire Joe Barclay, MP Dominic Grieve and Wycombe District Council leader Richard Scott joined the mayor and councillors for the annual civic service.

Rev Bull led a procession into the Causeway Church, where he revealed details of a new community project called “Love Marlow” due to run in conjunction with this year’s Town Regatta weekend in June.

He said: “We are getting together all sorts of groups to strengthen relationships in our community, shops business, churches, residents and community groups all joining together all that community spirit.

“We saw it during the floods, during the Olympics and the Jubilee, and we’re trying to make that something we don’t just see on those special occasions but week in week out throughout the year.”

After two years as Mayor, Cllr Brown gave thanks to all those who supported her and gave generously to her nominated charities, which this year are Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance and Marlow Opportunity Playgroup.

Her tenure has seen Cllr Brown raise tens of thousands through various events, including herding sheep over London Bridge after receiving the Freedom of the City.

During her address, she said: “Everybody knows about the community spirit in Marlow, it is quite something. We have a lovely town, not just for the river and beautiful bridge, but for the people in it.

“I want to thank everyone as I come to the end of my two years as mayor. I want to thank everyone who has supported me, but you the residents have been quite amazing and I thank you very much.”