UPDATE: 9th July 2021

Our Group Network and Home Visiting Service (National Visitors Network) will remain closed until the end of July. But from 1st August our group network and home visiting service will begin to re-open. This will inevitably take some time as both services have been closed for 18 months and there may also be some time scale differences in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

However for updates on local groups we'd advise you contact the local group contact to find out what their timescale is for re-opening and for news about our Home Visiting service please you can call 020 8691 7411 or email: [email protected]

STILL OPERATING: our Telephone friendship service and Pen Pal Scheme are both still operational and we welcome applications from any volunteers wishing to register

We carry out DBS checks or a PVG Disclosure Check (for Scotland) on all our volunteer befrienders and you can read more about the process by downloading our DBS Factsheet(Click here to open/download)

We provide two national befriending services: the National Visitors Network (NVN) & Phone Buddy Scheme.

Friendship by Telephone

Our Telephone Friendship Scheme provides a little bit of company and friendly social contact plus it helps to reduce feelings of loneliness and increases motivation and confidence. This regular chat also provides a vital link into the community to those who can be socially isolated because of restricted mobility or lack of accessibility to public transport. Our volunteer buddies are able to provide a listening ear, confidential support, regular contact, conversation and signposting to other services that might be of interest.

Pictured above: Befriender Alex (right) during a visit to retired civil servant Jess

Friendship by Home Visit

The National Visitors Network matches trained volunteer befrienders to beneficiaries to provide a friendship visit at home. All our volunteers undergo training and a DBS Check before the first visit takes place. The visits are a social call in the person’s own home; a chat over a cup of tea.  Assuming both parties hit it off they they decide on the frequency and regularity of future visits. Most visits last around a hour. 

Please note: our befrienders are not able to assist with domestic tasks, money or personal care, visits are purely for a social purpose to help relieve isolation and loneliness.

Pictured above: Befriender Katy (right) during a visit to retired civil servant Lillian

How to volunteer/Request a visit or call

This service is provided entirely by volunteers who give their time generously. We are always looking for new volunteer befrienders to join the team so if you have some time we'd love to hear from you. The application process is simple and involves a registration form followed by telephone based training session to provide you with an introduction to befriending along with our expectations of volunteers. Ideally we expect volunteers to be able to commit to at least 6 months of regular visiting.

If you would like to receive a visit or call or volunteer to become a befriender you can give us a ring (all calls treated in strictest confidence) on 020 8691 7411 or email: [email protected]

Further Information: 

Fact Sheet on the Do's and Don'ts of being a Befriender