We have had to make some significant changes to the way we deliver our services during the pandemic.

Unfortunately our face to face befriending visits are not possible at the moment and have all been moved to telephone support. Our vetted and trained volunteers have been phoning their service users once or twice a week for conversation or to do an activity together such as reading or doing a quiz.

We are still here to support service users and are continuing to accept referrals. Although we cannot do a home visit assessment at the moment, we will conduct a telephone assessment and offer a volunteer to phone them if appropriate. We hope that many of these matches will transfer to face to face befriending relationships when we can once again meet up with our service users.

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Befriending is a great way to meet new people and can really make a difference to the life of an older person feeling lonely or isolated. 

Befriending - at the heart of what we do

Some older people, especially those who are housebound through frailty or poor health, can find it difficult to stay socially active. At Link Age Southwark, we have seen how loneliness and isolation can have a harmful effect on the physical and mental health of older people in our community. A regular visit for a friendly chat over a cup of tea or a walk outside can make a huge difference.

Befriending visits can be arranged at times suitable for both the older person and the volunteer. 

Make a referral

If you would like to refer yourself or someone you know to our services, please download our referral form below and return it by email to [email protected]. If you would like to receive a copy of the form in the post, please call us on 020 8299 2623. 

If you are making a referral on behalf of another person, please ask their permission to share their personal details with us before completing the form. 

Make a referral

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Befriending for people living with dementia

We also offer befriending to people living with mild-moderate dementia and who are living independently. Living with the symptoms of dementia can make it harder for people to maintain friendships, just at a time when they are needed most. Our befrienders can provide valuable social support to people living with dementia and help them stay connected to their community.

Find out more about our dementia services