About Us

We know that feeling lonely can really eat away at our confidence and mood, making it difficult to feel like joining a group or making new friends. We also know that not everyone is physically able to get out and about and stay connected with their communities. That’s where having a volunteer befriender can help – Any adult over 18 can use our service and anyone can make a referral whether it’s for yourself, a family member or a friend.

We offer two services: Visiting Friends and Talking Friends.

How does the service work?

We carefully match our clients with one volunteer with the aim of forming a lasting friendship, so they will see the same person at every visit or talk to the same person on each call. 

Visiting Friendships usually begin with a short weekly visit or chat, and a cuppa. Some friends like to stay in and chat while others like to go out for a coffee and a stroll. Whatever they do is up to them, as long as they both agree! Visiting Friends also normally runs friendly coffee mornings several times a year which is a chance to meet up with the other Friends. 

It’s worth remembering that our volunteers do not provide personal or medical care – these are accessed via a health care professional or Adult Social Services.