Volunteers are wanted for the Good Friends project in Hambleton which is run by Age UK North Yorkshire & Darlington.
The scheme helps connect communities by matching lonely and isolated people with volunteers in their local area who can give them a little extra support.
Since it started in October 2018, the project has successfully brought together individuals who have been in need of support and advice with Good Friends volunteers matched to them based on shared interests and experiences.
Charlotte has been volunteering for just over ten weeks now and had this to say about her experience.
She said: “Having enjoyed coordinating a community project arranging tea parties for lonely elderly people in Bristol some years ago, I was keen to volunteer again with the same demographic but in my new home town of Northallerton.
“I came across Age UK’s Good Friends on an internet search and having met the Project Coordinator I was confident that it would work for me. The scheme is flexible enough to work around other commitments and you are able to tailor meet-ups to what, when and where works for you and the person you’re visiting.
“It’s been 10 weeks since I started and I’m loving our weekly catch ups, getting to know each other and sharing stories over a cuppa. Having no family and few friends to visit meant that Joan had been left feeling isolated and lonely but after just a few weeks of our meetings she told me how much better she was feeling.
“There is something so rewarding about hearing that you are making a difference to someone’s life, and her tight hugs as I leave always reaffirms it.”
Good Friends is looking for volunteers to meet continued demand in Hambleton, offering a flexible and rewarding way to get involved and help others in the community. You can give as little as an hour a week and still make a big difference in someone’s life. You can find out more about Good Friends by visiting www.goodfriends.org.uk or by calling Jessica Wise on 01609 771624.
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