Visiting/Befriending Service

One of our most popular services is the Visiting Service.  This Service provides Volunteer Visitors for isolated older people who have no close family support and who live alone.  This Service has become so rewarding for the Volunteers and the Clients that they often call it ‘Our Befriending Service.’

The Visiting Service is managed by a Co-ordinator and one of the many roles of the Co-ordinator is to try to match the interests and experiences of both Clients and Volunteers and this can take time. However this ‘one-to-one’ matching has developed many lasting and mutually worthwhile Friendships, often continuing for many years.

The Co-ordinator personally visits the Clients at home to explain the Service and to get to know what sort of Visitor would best suit their needs.  Then the Co-ordinator interviews and reference checks the Volunteer before introducing them to the Client.  Ongoing support is provided until both Volunteer and Client feel happy in the relationship. All the Volunteers and Clients are aware that if the visits should become onerous or unwelcome then a new arrangement can be made without any bad feelings on either side.

The Service is reliant on the excellent work of our Volunteers and our Co-ordinator and we are constantly looking for ways (and funds) to make this service available to more people.

If you feel isolated and lonely or you know an older person who feels this way please do contact us.  We would also like to hear from you if you have time to give to a lonely older person.