Befriending week 1st - 7th Nov
Published on 25 October 2019 11:25 AM
Be a Befriender and help change lives of lonely older people
It's a terrible thing to be lonely. Did you know that 1.2 million older people are chronically lonely? You can do something to help by becoming a befriender with Age UK North Tyneside.
An hour a week is all it takes to make a huge difference to somebody’s life.
National Befriending Week runs from November 1st – 7th every year. Age UK North Tyneside are welcoming new volunteers to support more lonely older people living in the community and expand their Befriending Service.
Befriending volunteers visit their befriendee for an hour per week, for a cuppa and a chat, over a long period of time.
Befriending Co-ordinator Beverley Swan said: “Our volunteer befreinders come from all walks of life and are aged 18 to 80+. Listening to someone’s story, sharing an cuppa and giving an hour a week of your time is something almost anyone can do”
Steve Hedley, 63, from Tynemouth, added: “I retired at 62 and I had always wanted to do something on a voluntary basis. I checked out Age UK North Tyneside and I liked what I saw. You don’t realise how many people out there are lonely. I would encourage anyone with a bit of free time, who is a good listener, to get involved. It is an hour or two of your week and the difference you can make is massive.
It’s not just the Befriendees who benefit though, the positive feeling that I get afterwards lasts for days.”
Self-employed Dan Stephenson, 41, from North Shields (pictured above with Befriending co-ordinator Beverley) said: “My family have always visited friends and elderly neighbours, so it is always something I have wanted to do. I enjoy doing it and I know the people I visit enjoy me visiting!”
If you want to make a difference as a volunteer befriender contact us to find out more. Call Beverley Swan on 0191 2877013, pop in to Age UK North Tyneside’s head office at the Bradbury Centre, 13 Saville Street West, North Shields or click on the links below to visit our befriending and volunteering pages.