A couple determined to tackle loneliness have set up a holiday company that specialises in helping people make friends.
Lee Thompson is upfront about his struggles with loneliness, which hit hard during his travels to more than 100 countries when he would find himself missing out on friendship and family time, struggling to form meaningful relationships.
So, along with his partner Radha Vyas, the 41-year-old Londoner decided to do something about it and set up Flash Pack - a firm organising small group adventures for solo travellers in their 30s and 40s who want to see the world while making some new pals.
Because a group of around 14 are contributing to the cost "you can do things preserved for the rich and famous", Lee told the Mirror.
"We measure success on how likely they are to keep in touch. We have obsession with group dynamic, over the business side of things. We really care about it and focus on it," he added.
Flash Pack delivers premium trips, setting travellers up in boutique hotels and taking them on horizon expanding experiences, whether that be whizzing around on side-cars in the Atlas Mountains or staying on a private island in Finland.
The couple are so determined to ensure the vibe within the group is as good as possible that they occasionally forego income and gently urge people not to come, if they don't seem like they'll be in tune with the spirit of the trip.
Lee continued: "If there is an individual who we don't think will work in the group format, we do everything we can to put them off. They have to be open minded and ready to make friends."
The idea for the company was formed when Lee and Radha met for their first date, having hooked up on Match.com.
"On the first date she said 'I have this great business idea'. She had had a terrible experience on a group holiday as everyone was younger than her," Lee said. "She wanted to make really cool aspirational trips for her age range, so we decided to set up Flash Pack on that date."
The couple's ambition of linking up people who've found themselves struggling with feelings of isolation is not a frivolous one, given how hard hitting being isolated can be.
Loneliness is, according to the National Institute on Aging, and as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Not only does isolation take a particularly tough toll on the mental health of some, people suffering from it often sleep and exercise too little, and suffer higher risks of conditions including strokes and heart disease as a result.
In the UK more than 7% of people experience chronic loneliness, meaning they feel lonely 'often or always'.
While the holiday firm is explicitly not a dating company, it has had a fair amount of success in that realm - perhaps to be expected, given that 80% of sign-ups are single.
"We've had a lot of relationships form, and now a lot of married couples. We've been invited to a couple of weddings," Lee said.
"Two couples formed on a single trip now have kids, one of the ladies' room mates was her bridesmaid. We have a lot of activities designed to bond people and guides who are very well trained in making group of strangers into friends."
Lee is open about the fact that he experienced loneliness while living what many might consider is the dream, travelling the world as a photojournalist.
Even now he is more firmly rooted in the UK with a wife, a child and a fulfilling business he finds himself struggling with the same feelings. Some of his male friends do as well, but they struggle to talk about it.
"Perhaps women are better at sharing, at being open with their friends," Lee said. "With friendships, you can outgrow certain friends. It is fine to move on from friendships. It is important to keep making new ones. But making friendships is really hard. You have to nurture them.
"When it comes to travel, if you or I were to go and abseil Table Mountain together, suddenly we'd have something really awesome together. Travel has a way of bringing people together."
Lee said an internal survey of Flash Pack members found 70% still keep in touch regularly, while 200 customers who've done three trips or more say they've made four life long friends from trips.
Of the people who sign up for trips, 70% are women and 60% are from the US. Those from the UK tend to be from cities like London and have been more invested in their careers than in other aspects of life.
Lee has been on a number of Flash Pack trips himself and, walking the company's walk, has made several new friends.
He said: "I drummed up a friendship recently. I made friends with him a month and a half ago, and now I'm going to his wedding in August. I found him really inspiring."
Lee has also struck up friendships someone who works in the White House, one works in film, a director in LA, a charity CEO.
This summer them firm is launching UK mini adventures that last for just one day, so people curious about the idea can dip their toe in without committing to the full, longer trips.
