Volunteering

The Regenerage Charity Befriending Service is a free weekly service providing phone calls or in-person visits. The aim of the service is to provide companionship that significantly enhances quality of life, fostering enduring friendships, combating social isolation and loneliness while enriching lives and enhancing overall wellbeing.”

We urgently need your support – There are currently elderly, lonely people who are in desperate need of a Befriending Volunteer.

What does becoming a Befriending Volunteer involve?

Join our community of caring volunteers and brighten someone’s day with your friendship.
Create meaningful connections and bring joy to those who need it most.
We currently have older people living in Chorley, South Ribble and Preston in need of a befriender.
Volunteering just one hour per week to visit an older person or to make a phone call can have a significant impact on their well-being providing them with much needed companionship.

In the words of a Regenerage Befriending Volunteer

“Becoming a volunteer is something I had thought about doing for some time, I wanted to do something positive and to feel good about.

I feel very strongly that no one should feel lonely or alone in the world, so befriending became a clear and natural fit for me.

I have a great relationship with Mavis, who has just turned 99, based on mutual respect for each other.

On my weekly visits, our conversations are based around Mavis’ early life and she always has a fascinating story to tell. I feel it is an absolute honour and privilege to be able to sit with Mavis and listen to her life stories. We always discuss the weather and sometimes current affairs or sport. Mavis enjoys watching rugby and snooker so I make sure that I keep up to date with any tournaments to aid our conversations.

Mavis has recently moved into a care home and I have continued our weekly visits.

Mavis can sometimes get frustrated as she has no family members to support her and would ask me to do things for her outside of the befriending role. I remind her of the boundaries of my befriending role and advise her to ask the care home for help with any issues she has.

I feel that my visits have a positive impact on Mavis’ mental health, as she know’s that she can rely on me when I say I will visit and I will always listen to her concerns. Mavis has stated that she feels more isolated now she is in a care home and that I am her life line to the outside world.

I have definitely learnt how to be more patient, resilient and the importance of just being able to listen and the impact that this can have. This gives me great satisfaction that I can make a difference to Mavis and would not hesitate to encourage others to become a volunteer.” – Heather

How to apply…

Contact us on 01772 552850, email volunteers@regenerage.org.uk or Apply Online.

Join us in the fight against loneliness.