In the news

Research into the numbers of single people in the church, their experiences, attitudes and behaviour has never been done before on any significant scale, which means that all of our findings are new.  As a result the various aspects of what we discovered were widely reported in Christian and national media. 

Unlike society generally, married couples make up the majority of people who attend Christian worship, which is why churches tend to be oriented around them. Many single people say they feel overlooked and not fully included.  And if you are looking for a life partner who shares the same faith, then this is relatively more difficult. It is even more challenging for single women, who outnumber the men considerably and who may never find a partner with whom to share their faith. Some of the articles recognise this and take a positive stance; others stay with the negative.  They make interesting reading.

The rest of this site focuses on the positive as we explore the way forward in hope, faith and seeking joy.

Below are examples of how the media covered our research findings and content:

Radio

  • BBC Radio 2: Faith in the World Week (July 2019)
    Single Friendly Church featured in documentary My Single Life by Sadia Azmat on BBC Radio 2 as part of Faith in the World Week. The programme discussed what singleness looked like in different faiths and how we can thrive in our singleness.
  • Premier Radio Drive Time: Interview with Beth Collingridge  (6 February 2020)
    Beth talks about singleness and the church, and tackling Valentine's Day when you don't have a partner.
  • BBC Local Radio, multiple regions (December 2018)
    Jackie Elton and Ruth Edmonds discuss why single people feel overlooked or undervalued in church, and some simple solutions that churches can put into practice.
  • Premier Radio: Valentine's Day (14 February 2018)
    Beth Collingridge talks with John Pantry about being single on Valentine's Day, and how churches can become more welcoming towards those who are single.
  • BBC Radio 2: Living Alone Well with Hardeep Singh Kohli (21 Oct 2013)
    Part of Radio 2′s Faith in the World Week Hardeep Singh Kohli journeys across the UK meeting people of faith and asking the question does their religion help or hinder solo living? Dr David Pullinger shares his experience of being single in the church.
  • BBC Radio 4: Sunday Programme – Survey on Loneliness (20 Oct 2013)
    A new survey on loneliness suggests religious people may be more lonelier than those without a faith. Trevor Barnes considers whether the church’s focus on the family can alienate those who live alone.
  • Premier Radio: Interview with David Pullinger (25 April 2013)
    David Pullinger talks about the recent Christian Connection survey highlighting single people feel increasingly isolated in church on Premier Radio’s lunchtime news programme.

National newspapers

If you would like to speak to a member of the team involved in the research, please contact us.