Our apperance on BBC Radio!
If you prefer to read the interviews, we have transcribed the conversation below:
It’s a sad fact that a lot of older people suffer from loneliness. Especially with the pandemic, that disconnect from friends and family as we get older it can be a real issue. One fantastic Berkshire charity that is helping support older people in our area does so through community engagement, events and friendships and now they're on the lookout the more volunteers to get involved. I'm Ali Reeve, and I had the opportunity to head along to a weekly pub lunch organised by The Link Visiting Scheme.
They are a local charity that pairs older people with volunteers and provides that personal connection that many people are missing out on. This is just one of a number of schemes that they run, with all events organised by Beth Holdway, the Activities and Events Coordinator. Now, let me tell you if you organise a regular pub lunch it makes you a very popular woman!
She told me about the need for their services:
“I think for a lot of our Link Friends, loneliness has grown massively, especially since COVID. It’s allowing them the confidence to get back out the front door and open the world back up to them. But also, holding their hand and saying: ‘You don't have to do this by yourself come along with us, we’re here, we’re friendly, we will have fun, and we can help transport you there too”.
“It's lovely seeing someone come for the first time quite nervous, quite shy, and by the end of the session, they’re having a great time and they’ve forgotten that they were so worried about it. They say to me “Can I come again?” And “I can't wait to tell my son!”. And then that's it, the world is their oyster!
It was clear that some strong friendships have been formed through these events with everyone busy catching up and in fact, the only real time it was quiet was when the food came out!! For older people though, this is a vital lifeline.
Ron told me about the difference his volunteer Sam has made to his life:
“Sam came along just at the right time, when I was really down in the dumps. I think really she’s actually saved my life. The best thing is me and Sam go out and you know and it’s really marvellous – especially the bird watching, the theatre, Kew Gardens.”
Christina said: “To be honest – 10/10. I was going through a really rough patch and I don't know what would have happened because I was basically a recluse, I didn't go out anywhere. It was a case of The Link or nothing - they’ve helped me through a very bad patch.”
Sheila told me: “When I go home that's when I feel a bit down, but when you're out with everybody, it’s just lovely. The Link has helped all of us, we are very very lucky.”
Riz said: “The first week of the pandemic, I was telephoned and I had a conversation with a volunteer from the Link, and it’s continued every week since March 2020. The Link has provided so many activities that I can get out to. As you get older, you lose your friends, either because they died or because they're not mobile or you’re not mobile anymore. The Link has been a real lifesaver.”
Since the pandemic demand for services like these has only been on the rise, which means now The Link are looking out for new volunteers. Here’s Beth explaining why that is and what being a volunteer is all about:
“In the last couple of years, especially with COVID, the demands on our service has grown hugely, which is a testament to our success, but also means we need more volunteers to help us. We have over 550 Link Friends and that's where our amazing volunteers come in.
Volunteering opportunities are really varied: Befriending involves being linked up with one of our Link Friends and forming a 1 to 1 friendship, or if you're more of a sociable person you can help us our activities. We’re in desperate need of volunteer support for transport – many of our Link Friends are keen to get out but can’t manage it alone. It’s a huge barrier, so having a friendly volunteer who can come and pick them up and give them that door to door service helps in confidence. I think our volunteers get just as much from it as our Link Friends.”
Adrian Mildram is one of those local people who gives up his time to get involved. I asked Adrian how he got involved in the first place:
“So I first got involved with the Link through Community Kitchen, which is an event that we do every month on a Sunday, where we bring lonely and isolated people together to cook and eat Sunday lunch together. Sundays are often a particularly lonely day. I think it's such a rewarding thing to do, to spend time with our Link Friends who have got so much life experience and so many interesting stories. It's an amazing experience and I learn from it every day. I just love spending time with our Link Friends.”
Join us
If you’re interested in volunteering, we’d love to hear from you. Click here to find out more and to request your volunteering pack and application.