LONELINESS is being tackled by the tech skills of one Oxford firm.

Staff at Oxford Computer Consultants, based in Hythe Bridge Street, compare their new enterprise to online dating, but for people wanting to support faraway relatives.

Ami, named after the French word for ‘friend’, works by using sophisticated software to match people using the software in different parts of the country.

Someone whose elderly mother or father lives on the other side of the country ‘swaps’ with another volunteer in that area, each providing friendship and support to the other’s relative.

OCC co-founder and managing director John Boyle believes technology is the solution.

He said: “There have been lots of attempts to deal with the problem of loneliness, with systems to find volunteers for those needing support but what’s unique is that we have come up with the idea of a swap.

“We believe it needs to be tackled by a software company and dealing with it as a tech-led problem gives Ami a unique slant.”

Mr Boyle sees Ami as part of the ‘sharing economy’ which includes Airbnb and taxi app Uber. He added: “Once the software match-makes us, we arrange to meet or talk on Skype.

“Then just like dating, if that goes well, I would introduce you to my mother.”

Ami is a social enterprise and has already attracted funding from the European Community.

Artist and activist Lois Muddiman, who co-founded a number of community groups including Low Carbon West Oxford and West Oxford Community Renewables, will manage the start-up.

She said she was having “informal conversations” with voluntary agencies such as Age UK, the Banbury-based Royal Voluntary Service and Volunteer Link-up in Witney.

Ms Muddiman said: “We are doing lots of research and talking to as many people as we can, because we need to design something that is beneficial.

“Part of that is about building relationships with voluntary organisations, so they see this as a tool to help them.”

Oxford Computer Consultants supplies software and tech support to half of all England’s local authorities, so already has strong links with social care teams.

Five of its software developers will work on Ami, which will run as a pilot project until the end of April.

If all goes well, Ami will be launched nationally and developed as an app for mobile phones and tablets.

Mr Boyle added: “Over half of over-75s live alone and 60 per cent of them say TV is their only form of company, so this is a huge problem.

“We believe the answer lies in technology.”