12. Hullo

Company: Hullo

Website: https://www.hullo.org/

Founder(s): Lewis Alexander Baxter & Matty Hall

 

Hullo Social Media Graphic

 

About Hullo

Aiming to give anyone and everyone access to conversation, Hullo provides a free call line that is open 9am to 9pm every day of the year. Hullo exists to unlock the power of conversation and create an inclusive, safe and non-judgmental space for people to chat and connect with others.

While social isolation and loneliness has been a long-standing issue, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated these issues. There is a significant lack of conversations and social connection in our society, with 1 in 3 people having fewer than two conversations per week (Hullo, 2020). Hullo’s call line and social media presence act as a stage of early-intervention. Through addressing such issues, Hullo aims to positively impact people who are socially isolated. With conversation at its heart, Hullo creates a sense of community for its callers and volunteers alike.

Founded in March 2020, Hullo was created by two friends, Lewis and Matty, as they looked for a way to keep busy in the first lockdown. Observing a space in the industry, they decided to create an organisation that gave individuals access to casual conversation. Hullo found its feet and immediately turned to technology to facilitate its service that spans the UK. Lewis and Matty, and their team of volunteers and board members, have taken great leaps in creating and growing the organisation. They continue to demonstrate the power of empathy and determination, taking steps to achieve their vision – a world where everyone has someone to chat to.

In their first 17 months alone, Hullo has built a community of over 60 volunteers who manage to chat to over 500 people a month through their call line. One service user said “I called a Hullo volunteer. They didn’t judge me. They listened. They cared.”

Having expanded rapidly, Hullo are working towards the transition from grassroots, start-up project to becoming a registered charity. As they do so, Hullo is ever embracing newer technologies to ensure that they are increasingly accessible and inclusive to its callers, volunteers and wider community. They are constantly pushing to find new uses for technology in their goal to match callers and volunteers.