Befriending scheme
Regular visits and phone calls for older or isolated residents.
Loneliness can affect anyone, but it is particularly common among older residents who live alone or have lost a partner. Our befriending scheme matches a trained volunteer with someone who would welcome regular company, such as a weekly visit, a phone call or a walk together.
Every volunteer completes an induction and a DBS check before they are matched with anyone and matches are made carefully based on interests and personality as well as location. Most friendships settle into a comfortable routine within a few weeks.
We check in with both sides regularly to make sure the arrangement is working well and we are always happy to make changes if someone would prefer a different volunteer or a different type of contact.