VOLUNTEERS offering a befriending service to combat loneliness among the elderly are continuing to make “a huge difference” in Helensburgh and Lomond despite Covid restrictions - but more helpers are needed.
That’s the message from the Visiting Friends organisation, which is celebrating its second anniversary as a registered charity ahead of National Befriending Week, running from November 1-7.
The coronavirus crisis has shone a spotlight on the impact of loneliness and isolation – from the problems of being stuck indoors with limited opportunities to shop or exercise, to being unable to meet or hug friends and family.
For many, though, such issues already existed pre-pandemic: Scottish government research shows that over a third of people in Scotland live alone, one in 10 often feel lonely and twice that number have limited social contact in their neighbourhoods.
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Visiting Friends members have been tackling loneliness one friendship at a time and although lockdown curtailed social events, members have found other ways to offer their support.
Manager Jayne Burnett said: “Lockdown and the restrictions have been difficult for all our volunteers and their friends but as usual they have met the challenge head on.
“We’ve been helping them keep up with all the changes in the guidance, many have changed to telephone chats, some have been doing car and garden picnics while others have been talking through windows.
“Many of our volunteers have also been doing shopping for their friends. They’re making a huge difference.”
Mary Skinner - pictured, enjoying a gin and tonic during her 85th birthday celebrations in lockdown while wearing a waistcoat that her friend volunteer Lisa Scott knitted for her - is just one example of a local person reaping the benefits that the service can bring.
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Lisa said: “Mary and I have the best friendship and have lots of fun.
“At the moment I can’t visit Mary but I phone her and we chat. Mary has become a very good friend and we are missing each other very much.
“I often take meals to Mary that I have cooked for my family and there is always a Mary portion saved.
“There is no age barrier between good friends and Mary and I talk about all sorts of things.
“Thanks to Visiting Friends I have Mary in my life.”
Danny Thorburn and David Weir have been friends for two years having struck up an instant relationship.
Danny, 70, said: “Having David as a befriender has made a big difference to me. Before the virus he took me out quite a bit, now he calls me on a Monday and Thursday and we speak for an hour and a half.
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“I’ve not seen anyone else since lockdown in March except the man who serviced my boiler and the gardener, but they just do their work and leave.
“The only other communication I have is a weekly call to my 92-year-old mother and my sister in Prestwick – I don’t like to think what lockdown and Covid would have been like without David.”
David said: “When we first met Danny and I had sadly become widowers.
“It transpired however that we shared happier common ground; we like movies, sport and travel and have become very adept at talking on all these topics, often at the same time!
“Volunteering is most definitely a two-way street. I genuinely believe that I derive at least as much if not more of a benefit than Danny.
“If visits and telephone calls make him feel good, then I feel good.
“Each volunteer is a small part of the jigsaw that can go towards forming a much cheerier picture.”
Visiting Friends took on 40 new temporary volunteers during lockdown to do shopping and prescription pick-ups – many of these maintained their friendships after lockdown and have become part of the organisation.
Plans are in place to launch Talking Friends once enough volunteers are recruited; for more information, call Jayne or Debbie on 01436 269336 or email jayne@visitingfriends.org.
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