We are delighted and honoured to announce that we have been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service - the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK. We could not be prouder of our incredible volunteer family, whose hard work and dedication are at the heart of all we do.

We are thrilled that our volunteers have received the recognition they so richly deserve. Volunteers have shown wonderful commitment to providing a lifeline of friendship and support to older people struggling with loneliness.

One of our volunteers, Carol, says:

“It has been very rewarding getting to know my 87-year-old Link Friend, Jean. She has felt so lonely at times and for the first 8 months of the lockdown, I was her only visitor. I know she gets a lot out of our friendship, as do I. I helped her purchase a tablet computer 18 months ago and have enjoyed teaching her how to use it. She took to it like a duck to water! It has been life-changing for her.

We have always enjoyed going out together, visiting garden centres, nature reserves or if the weather is good, just going for tea and cake. I really enjoy our friendship and our time together every week.”

We are now looking for more friendship volunteers who can spare an hour or two each week to join the team. Volunteering with our charity offers the chance to make a real difference to the lives of isolated people in our local community. It’s also a chance to make new friends and feel connected. We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support. Find out by visiting our website: linkvisiting.org/volunteer or by contacting our office: 0118 9798019.

We believe that no one in our community should feel forgotten or lonely. Please do reach out if you’d like support. We’d love to hear from you!

Marjie Walker, CEO

The Link Visiting Scheme

Become a Friendship Volunteer!