Befriending Week
1 – 7 November
Befriending Week is the national campaign celebrating and raising awareness of befriending and the positive impact it has on individuals and communities.
During the week, we invite those in the befriending sector to reflect on their achievements over the previous year, thank volunteers and staff, celebrate their service users, and share their message with stakeholders, government and the public.
Our Befriending Week theme for 2026 is Supporting each other through meaningful connections.

Befriending Week is also an opportunity to look into the future by raising awareness of how befriending helps to tackle isolation and create community connections, in-person and at a distance.
Befriending Week was established in 2012 by Befriending Networks, working in collaboration with our membership and strategic partners.
Get involved in Befriending Week!
There are many ways to get involved with Befriending Week. Each year, we release a host of resources for you to use with your volunteers, service users and community. We also facilitate events to help you plan your contribution to the campaign and throughout the week itself, including our Annual Conference.
We encourage you to get involved on social media using #BefriendingWeek and #WythnosCyfeillio.

Contribute to the Befriending Week message board
Got a message, story or resource you’d like to share for Befriending Week? Add a post to our Befriending Week message board!
Befriending Networks is a small charity but our impact is big: our network reaches 22,000 volunteers and their matches across the UK every year. Donate today to support our work.
Befriending Week News
More than company: celebrating the strength and impact of befriending
Our CEO, Susan Hunter, shares a Befriending Week message and unpacks why befriending is not an optional extra, but a… Read more
How you can support befriending
Befriending Week is all about coming together to celebrate and support the befriending sector. Here are 3 simple ways you… Read more
How we support the befriending sector
In our 2025 Sector Insight Report, our members reported that they were experiencing a significant increase in demand for their… Read moreBefriending Week Partners
Interested in being a strategic supporter, a corporate partner, or providing media coverage to Befriending Week? Download the Communications Toolkit or get in touch.

Join our Befriending Week mailing list
Get the latest updates, resources and ideas to help you celebrate Befriending Week.




