At Friends Altogether in Rother, one of our main aims is to set up and deliver a local befriending service.
This new local support service is designed to provide companionship, friendship, and social interaction to individuals who may be experiencing loneliness, isolation, or vulnerability. More on this on our ABOUT page.
Our service is run by a staff member and involves a combination of volunteers and trained professionals who regularly visit and spend time with members of our community. Those using the service will be people who have expressed a wish for companionship and opportunities to engage with local people and activities. Befriendees might be older adults, people with disabilities, or individuals facing other life challenges, such as carers.
The primary goal of the FAiR befriending service is to offer emotional support, alleviate loneliness, and promote social connection. Our befrienders can engage in conversations, share activities, or accompany individuals on outings, depending on the preferences and needs of the person receiving the service. These interactions can range from simple chats over tea to participating in hobbies or attending community events together.
Providing health and wellbeing support to the community is a real focus for FAiR and our befriending services can play a crucial role in delivering for wellbeing – including physical, mental and emotional wellbeing by providing a supportive relationship outside of their immediate circle of family and friends. Additionally, our befriending programs may also offer practical assistance, such as helping with errands, providing information about local resources, or facilitating access to community services and activities.
Our support for physical wellbeing can involve being accompanied for physical activities, such as walking for wellbeing, taking part in community gardening or other outdoor activities. In time, our close links with Sussex Outreach Service and support from our medical befriender can also help support physical and medical wellbeing.
Overall, our befriending services aim to foster engagement with the fantastic Rother community by creating meaningful relationships, combating social isolation, and enhancing the quality of life for those who may be feeling lonely or disconnected from society.
Currently our befriending service is running as a community meet-up, at our monthly Tilling, Tea and Cake event but we are excited to be currently setting up:
- Community befriending, for a befriender to accompany a community member to take part in a community activity or event.
- A telephone or video befriending service, for regular phone / video calls between a befriender and a community member.
- A home visit befriending service, for regular home visits.
This is a very exciting time for our charity, and we’ll be adding more information about each service as it is set up, so do check back for updates.
In the meantime though, we welcome ideas and enquiries about our befriending service, so please reach out to us via our contact page, email or using our social media. You might also like to follow our News & Events page for updates and information.
