Michael heard about Link Age Southwark through a partner charity, the Creation Trust. Following a referral, Michael, who has lived in Walworth for over 30 years, started attending our Silver Trees exercise group and was matched with Dan, a Link Age Southwark befriender. The pair have been meeting up regularly for walks over the past two years.

Dan moved to south London to study in 1995. He currently works shifts and was keen to do something worthwhile with his time off. Dan was motivated to become a volunteer befriender with Link Age Southwark following a report he heard in the news. Dan explains; "There was a report into loneliness that had an example of an older person whose only contact with someone that week was with their doctor. It seemed so sad. It spurred me on to look at what I could do with my spare time."

"There was a report into loneliness that had an example of an older person whose only contact with someone that week was with their doctor. It seemed so sad. It spurred me on to look at what I could do with my spare time"

There’s an evident warmth and a mutual respect to the friendship. Dan and Michael go for walks in Burgess Park and stop off in the café to chat. They talk about a range of subjects including Michael’s travels – as Michael, despite a visual impairment, is an intrepid traveller who loves to use the railways to visit various coastal towns.

Dan has done more than just befriending and has been known to help out with practical tasks. Michael explains: "I’m registered blind, so sometimes Dan reads out the letters that have come for me. He’s also done the pathway for me. It was full of weeds. He did a very good job."