Linking People Together (Clubs and Befriending)
- Location: Age UK Solihull
- Price: Free
Please note, this service is not available outside Age UK Solihull - Head Office's catchment area.
Email: Befriending@ageuksolihull.org.uk
Telephone: 0121 704 7846
Age UK Solihull’s Linking People Together service supports older people to maintain social interaction and remain vital members of their local communities.
The service, which we tailor to meet each person's specific needs, is divided into four core elements:
- Home-based befriending
- Telephone befriending
- Practical advice and support
- Community-based social activities.
Home-based Befriending
Our Volunteer Befriending service supports older people to maintain social interaction and remain vital members of their local communities. Our 1:1 face-to-face Befriending service is a free, home visiting service which aims to provide company for people over the age of 65 who are feeling lonely or isolated, and have no family or other support nearby. A volunteer will visit you in your home on a weekly basis and sit and have a chat and a cup of tea with you. Our volunteers are fully trained and we tailor the service to meet each person's specific needs.
Telephone Befriending
We also offer Telephone Befriending, where a volunteer will call you once or twice a week for a chat.
One of our Befriending clients says:
"My Befriender is such a lovely girl. It is so good to know I have someone to chat to during these stressful times, and I can hear her smile when she talks...What would I do without Age UK Solihull helping us? I am so grateful."
Who we can support
This service is for people who:
- are over 65;
- pay their council tax to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council;
- live alone in their own home; AND
- have no local family or other support.
Please note that there are waiting lists for both clubs and befriending. Priority is given to people who:
- are aged 75
- live alone
- have no local family or other support
- have no other opportunities to socialise
- are on a low income
Referral to the service
Click below for a referral form for professionals to refer clients to the Linking People Together project.
Unfortunately due to high demand, we are unable to accept referrals for people who:
- have, or are waiting for, a diagnosis of Dementia or moderate to severe undiagnosed memory loss or cognitive impairment*
- live in a care home, extra care or sheltered accommodation that provides communal facilities, activities and/or opportunities to socialise
- have care packages in place
- have mental health conditions (not including low level depression and anxiety that may be as a result of loneliness and/or isolation)**
*Whilst many of our volunteers receive training in Dementia Awareness they are not qualified or experienced in supporting people living with Dementia or other cognitive impairment. Please contact Dementia Connect on 0333 150 3456 for support in Solihull.
**Solihull Council fund an organisation called Sandant to provide support for people living with mental ill health. They can be contacted on 0121 448 5010 or info@sandantcare.co.uk. An organisation called Creative Support also offers mental health and wellbeing support in Solihull. You can contact them on 0121 389 0213.
Clubs and Activities
We offer several regular clubs and activities for older Solihull residents. Click below for more information.
Further information
Click below to download the project's leaflet.
Linking People Together Leaflet
Become a Befriender
As a befriender you could provide regular company for a lonely older person living in Solihull. Thousands of local older people are extremely lonely, going for weeks, even months, without speaking to another person. One of the ways you can help is by volunteering to befriend an older person.