There is no doubt the pandemic is difficult for a lot of people. The lonely and vulnerable, always at risk from isolation are arguably the most affected. Charities helping such people are doing a wonderful job. More people need their services more than ever. One of the most important ways to support vulnerable older people is befriending. In ordinary times, isolated elderly people are offered companionship with volunteers. To that end, the Time To Talk befriending charity in Brighton applied for and received a vital £22,000 support grant. They will continue to offer safe, effective befriending during the pandemic and beyond.
About the Time To Talk Befriending Charity
Humans are social creatures. Even introverts cannot go for too long without human contact. We all need a support network of friends and family. Without it, our mental health plummets. Like many others around the country, the Time To Talk befriending charity has received a surge in demand since lockdown. This charity alone has seen a fourfold increase in service demand. The pandemic presents many challenges, not least of all the social distancing and temporary severing of human contact. People instructed to stay at home or even isolate for 12 weeks have seen their mental health affected.
That’s why the Time To Talk befriending charity is so vital to so many people right now. People of all ages, many of whom rely on friends and family close by, are cut off. At the same time, furloughed young people with nothing to do become connected with older people with whom they might share interests. Using the £22,000 grant, the charity based in Brighton will now expand operations into Worthing and Adur. Those who already have friends they’ve met through the charity spoke openly that the befrienders and the befriended have found it an enriching experience.