Befriending

“Your introduction of a befriending scheme also shows that Support Network is not just a financial help, however valuable that may be, but really cares for its family members...”

We introduced our telephone Befriending service in June 2010 following the comment from one of our beneficiary couples that our volunteer Visitor was the only guest they had had that year. We feel that enabling people to maintain social links is an important element in our promotion of wellbeing, especially where this continues a personal connection to the IMechE community.

We welcome applications from both people who either want to receive regular telephone contact, or who would like to provide this kind of support. We actually find that a mutual benefit often arises between the Befriender and the Befriendee, who we carefully match on the basis of common interests and the preferred frequency of telephone contact. This service operates outside of our grant making activities, and thus there is no discussion of people’s financial means. The service is purely telephone based, without face-to-face contact.

This service is suitable for people who are: