CHEER’s befriending scheme is a valued local service that reaches out to individuals who may feel isolated at home with few visitors or limited opportunities to socialise. Many of those we support have family who live far away or are unable to visit as often as they would like. Our aim is to provide friendly companionship and regular contact, helping people feel more connected to their community.
How does CHEER help?
A volunteer visits someone at home to share a cup of tea and enjoy friendly conversation. These visits usually take place once a week and last about an hour, offering a regular moment of companionship and connection.
Over time, many of these relationships grow into genuine friendships, with befriender and befriendee sometimes taking part in local social activities together. While volunteers are not a replacement for professional support, they can often provide a helping hand with small day-to-day matters or offer reassurance when needed.
Each person is carefully matched with a volunteer who shares similar interests and outlooks, helping to create the foundation for a meaningful and lasting friendship. Simply seeing a friendly face — or knowing that someone is coming to visit — can make a real difference to a person who is lonely or housebound. Many volunteers describe the experience as deeply rewarding, with both individuals gaining companionship and benefiting from the experience.
To ensure everyone’s safety and peace of mind, all volunteers are carefully vetted, including a criminal record check, before being matched with an older person.
If you know of anyone who could benefit from this service or might be interested in joining our enthusiastic team of befriending volunteers, please contact us.
Jim, who is 85, was referred to us as needing support after he had been left homeless, in need of financial support, and isolated. We supported applications for state benefits and found a volunteer to befriend him. Following the death of his wife, the friendship from the volunteer supported by CHEER helped him to cope with the changes in his life. He has moved to better accommodation and is looking forward to attending one of our events this year.
“I really look forward to visits from my friend”