“Befriending is something I had wanted to do for quite a while but due to working full time and family commitments I wasn’t in a position to do so. However, a little while ago I started working part time which meant I had some spare time and that prompted me to get in touch with Modbury Caring. After an initial meeting and a short interview, I was paired up with a gentleman in his late eighties who, due to mobility difficulties, is unable to leave the house very often. He lives on his own and was really looking for some companionship.
We’re never short on conversation… he has so many interesting stories…
I call round once a week and we have a little routine where we share a pot of tea, eat biscuits and discuss what we’ve been up to since the last time we met. We’re never short on conversation as he has so many interesting stories of things he has done during his life and recently he has been giving me lots of tips on how to train my puppy, having had several dogs himself. In fact, the puppy now comes too and has his own biscuits!
I’m so pleased I now have the time to be a befriender as I really look forward to our weekly chats. Old age can be socially isolating if you no longer have family or friends living nearby and you are unable to leave the house yourself. Having a friend regularly call in for a cup of tea and a natter keeps you connected to the outside world and can really make a difference to someone’s week’’.
Could you do this? Currently we have 25 befrienders, but we need more. If you would like to discuss becoming a befriender please contact Sheila Harrison, our Befriending Co-ordinator by phone, email or drop in, see contact details in the box below.
We need drivers too, especially in the villages. If you think you could drive for Modbury Caring please complete our volunteering form.