Befriending works. It changes lives. These are not new discoveries. But perhaps what is new is that churches are realising this is a great way to reach out and bless their communities. So, why befriending? 1. It works. Barbara*, who is in her 70’s, never...
Penrith Linking Lives
Penrith Linking Lives is a befriending service aimed at adults who find themselves requiring some extra friendship and support, and this is provided through weekly home visits or telephone calls. We match volunteers with those who are referred to us and all volunteers are carefully selected, trained and vetted.
3.9M
TV only companion
500K
spend Christmas alone
9M
people lonely in UK
Referrals
We accept referrals from statutory organisations such as social workers, social prescribers, GP’s and community health practitioners, charities, friends and family members or self-referrals.
Our main criteria for admission to the scheme is for there to be clear evidence of social isolation and that our service is being requested by the person concerned. We regret that we are unable to arrange visits where there is a diagnosis of advanced dementia or certain mental health conditions.
Our service is available to adults living within Penrith, together with the surrounding district and villages. For further details please contact us on 07951 738540.
We are currently not open for referrals. We hope to reopen in early 2024.
Get Involved
The role of a volunteer is to carry out a regular home visit or telephone call to an allocated ‘scheme member’ usually for one hour every one or two weeks. This contact is often a lifeline for those who are unable to leave their home very often, and who have little contact with others in the community.
The majority of our volunteers report that they have an extremely positive experience within their role and that they benefit from their experience as much as their allocated friend. We are keen to build on this mutual benefit and encourage all volunteers to look for opportunities to celebrate and honour the achievements and experiences of scheme members.
If you would like to apply to become a volunteer, please get in touch with us using the form below or phone our coordinator.
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Contact Us
Andrew Gardner
St Catherine’s Church Office, Drovers Lane, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 9EL
07951 738540
penrith@linkinglives.uk