Befriending: Home Visiting for Older People
As we get older, it’s easy to become isolated and lonely as our opportunities for social activities reduce. Some older people see no-one for days at a time. A regular weekly visit or phone call from a local volunteer befriender can brighten your day, help improve your mental health and often results in friendship.
We carefully match you with a befriender who we think you’ll get on with – someone who may have a shared interest or something else in common with you. You then arrange to meet or speak at a time that works for you both, and we keep in touch to make sure things are going well. We offer in-person befriending with home visits (when we are able to), as well as telephone befriending.
Would you like a befriender?
To refer yourself or someone you know who may enjoy the opportunity to share a cuppa, go for a walk, or have a chat on the phone with a befriender, get in touch by emailing referrals@timeandtalents.org.uk, or by giving us a call on 020 7232 5664.
Time & Talents works in partnership with Blackfriars Settlement and LinkAge Southwark to ensure that there is a befriending service for all Southwark residents. To see a map of coverage and check what partner serves your area, please click here and scroll to the bottom.
Click here to download a referral form
Would you like to become a befriender?
Volunteer befriending has been at the heart of Time & Talents’ offer for over 40 years, and we always have a waiting list of isolated older people who need someone to pay them a weekly visit or phone call.
Would you like to spend an hour or two each week taking someone out for a while, watching a film, playing Scrabble – or simply having a chat over a cup of tea?
You will get a lot in return: a feeling of being connected to your community, the fun of getting to know someone you might not otherwise meet, and even a new friendship. Some of our befriendees may have some degree of dementia, so we will train you to feel confident in providing support to someone with needs of this kind.