Be a friendly voice on the end of a phone

  • Date Monday, 21 December 2020

Volunteer as a telephone befriender and help make a difference to a local older person’s day.

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Do you enjoy talking to new people and have some time to spare each week to make a call to an older Bankside resident?  We’re looking for people to volunteer as telephone befrienders with Blackfriars Settlement to help reduce social isolation in these challenging times.

As with so many people, Blackfriars Settlement’s members have experienced loneliness this year, and found it hard not having people to talk things through with, or to adapt to new ways of connecting with people online.  A friendly phone call can make a real difference, especially for those older people still having to isolate due to health issues.

“’I enjoy the phone calls very much and look forward to it each week. It’s lovely to her a friendly voice and talk about anything and everything!’ – Margie, 89

‘It’s really special to feel that I am making a difference to people’s lives and it only takes a very small amount of my time.’ – Ellie, Telephone befriender volunteer

Anyone interested in joining up as a volunteer will be trained before they start making calls, as well as helped to complete a DBS check, and the Positive Ageing team are always on hand to answer any questions or concerns you have.

Want to get involved?

If you’re interested in the befriending scheme, please contact Rachel Nicholson to find out more.