Could you be a befriender?

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin’s befrienders and telephone buddies are a lifeline for socially isolated people in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

The blight of loneliness can be one of the saddest aspects of growing older and hundreds of people across Shropshire are experiencing the quiet pain of having no one to talk to and no one to laugh with, perhaps for days on end.

A little companionship, even for a short while each week, can make all the difference. That’s where befrienders and telephone buddies come in; people who are happy to give a little of their time each week to chat with someone who might not see anyone from one day to the next.

Dean Suter is a befriending volunteer for Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin, which provides this hugely valued service right across the county. He says: ‘I have volunteered as a befriender at Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin for the past five years now and I absolutely love it.’

‘It’s hugely enjoyable and also so satisfying to know you are alleviating that awful feeling of loneliness that some older people have. It’s all about companionship. I’d recommend it to anyone.’

Befrienders are matched with an older person in the community. They visit them on a regular basis (with support towards their travel expenses) to provide companionship, sometimes taking them out on short trips or accompanying them to a local activity. Telephone buddies are also matched with an older person and telephone them on a regular basis to provide companionship and support.

Could you perhaps spare half an hour just once a week?

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is currently on the lookout for more befrienders and telephone buddies to meet the growing demand for these services. Even if you could spare just half an hour each week to call a lonely older person for a chat, it could make a real difference to their life.

If you would like to become a befriender or a telephone buddy, call us on 01743 233 123 or email enquiries@ageukstw.org.uk