Age UK Bolton
About Age UK Bolton
Age UK Bolton is pleased to offer one-to-one befriending support and friendship to older people who live alone, are socially isolated and experiencing feelings of loneliness. The service is delivered by our wonderful befriending volunteers who visit or telephone their befriendee on a weekly basis for companionship.
All our befriending matches are overseen by our Ageing Well Coordinator and we make our matches against mutual interests, location and other contextual information, rather than in order or receiving referrals. This is much more successful and provides good outcomes for all involved.
We also offer a new goal orientated befriending service call Enabling Connections. This face-to-face befriending support is offered for up to six months and targets reversing the older person’s route into loneliness and isolation through goal setting.
53-55 Victoria Square, Bolton, Greater Manchester BL1 1RZ, GB
Service Eligibility
We accept referrals via telephone or our online referral form be completed and submitted and then the referral is reviewed. If the referral meets our acceptance criteria, we undertake a home assessment and look to recruit a suitable volunteer. Once a volunteer is found, the Befriender is introduced to the Befriendee and the match made and supported.
To be referred to our befriending service the client must:
Live in the Bolton area
Be aged 50 or over
Live alone
Be socially isolated (rarely gets out independently)
Experience feelings of loneliness
Wish to have a befriender
Consent to the referral
Whilst we can accept clients with low mood and mild forgetfulness, unfortunately we are unable to accept clients experiencing clinical depression, suicidal thoughts or complex mental illness (including advancing dementia).
Information for Volunteers
As a Befriending Volunteer, you will:
- Visit a matched older person on a regular basis, usually for around one hour each week.
- Build a trusted and meaningful friendship over time.
- Provide companionship, conversation and emotional support.
- Take an interest in the older person’s life, experiences and interests.
- Help them feel connected, valued and listened to.
- Share any concerns about their wellbeing with the Age UK Bolton team in line with training and guidance provided.
Every friendship is different. Some visits may involve chatting over a brew, reminiscing about life experiences, discussing hobbies, playing a game, or simply being there to listen.
If you can spare an hour a week and have a friendly smile, a listening ear and a caring nature, we’d love to hear from you.
Download and complete the Volunteer Application Form and email it to volunteering@ageukbolton.org.uk
More InformationAge Groups
Older Adults (65+)Themes
Care Home Residents, Carers, Dementia/Memory loss, Older PeopleRegions
Country: England
Other Regions: North West England
Other Information
Type of Befriending: Distance befriending including telephone, video call, letter writing or other means, Face to face befriending which takes place in the home or community
Who can refer: Self Referrals Accepted, Friends & Family Referrals Accepted, Professional Referrals Accepted