Our Current Award Holders

Developed by Befriending Networks in consultation with member organisations and experts in the field of befriending, the award launched in 2010 and was revised and updated in 2021. There are more than 50 organisations currently holding a Quality in Befriending Award in the UK and Ireland!

Interested in applying?

Find out more

Being quality assured means that our service is fully aligned with Quality in Befriending guidelines and allows us to provide a best practice service to our clients and volunteers. It has also been hugely beneficial for funding opportunities. The Quality Award demonstrates that we are robust, effective, and aligned with a best-practice delivery framework.
– London Irish Centre

It’s always useful to review your service, update and tighten processes where needed, and have the benefit of expertise and advice from a different perspective. As a bonus, it’s great to be able to use the Quality Award logo, which is a quick and straight-forward way to demonstrate you meet a required level of practice.
– Integr8 Befriending Service

Explore the Quality Award Holders Directory

Aberlour – Scotland’s Children’s Charity

Our purposeAberlour Children’s Charity helps disadvantaged children and families in Scotland have a brighter future.Our VisionNot all children are born with an equal chance. We will work together to beat…

View

Age UK (national)

The Age UK Telephone Friendship service matches older isolated people to volunteers with mutual interests for a weekly 30 minute call, to help combat loneliness and social isolation.

View

Age UK Merton

Age UK Merton Befriending Service has been supporting the older people of Merton for many years and is the first Age UK in the country to be awarded the Quality…

View

ALONE

ALONE’s Support & Befriending service provides companionship and practical support to older people who would like extra social contact. Trained and Garda-vetted volunteers provide weekly visits or telephone calls which…

View

Befriend a Child

At Befriend a Child we ensure that local children and young people have the opportunity to create positive childhood memories. We support children and young people growing up in difficult…

View

BeFriend in Bellshill

BeFriend in Bellshill is part of the multi-activity Orbiston Neighbourhood Centre. Our volunteers befriend older adults in Bellshill and the surrounding area, who experience feelings of loneliness or isolation. We…

View

Befriend Motherwell

What Befriend Motherwell can offer you: One to One Matches. You will be matched with a volunteer who will visit you once per week for 1 to 2 hours. At…

View

Befrienders Highland

We are a small voluntary organisation working to improve the lives of people who are lonely and isolated and have experience of mental ill health and dementia. We work across…

View

Befriending Caithness

Befriending Caithness supports older adults in Caithness and North Sutherland to stay connected, active, and thriving. Our trained volunteers offer weekly home visits, friendly conversation, and companionship. They can also…

View

Bfriend (registered South Ayrshire Befriending Project)

Bfriend

Bfriend is based in Ayr and provides a befriending service for young people aged between 8 to 18 years old with social or emotional support needs, living within South Ayrshire. …

View

Blind Veterans UK

We are here to support anyone who has served in the Armed Forces, or who has done National Service, and who is now living with significant sight loss. We help…

View

CACE

CACE has been running for over 35 years, providing Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, The Northern Corridor and the surrounding villages with much needed support for the elderly and isolated. We run a…

View

Changes East Lothian

Befriending East Lothian – Well Connected

Our Befriending service Well Connected helps individuals who may be struggling with low social contact, loneliness, isolation and low mental health. Volunteering as a Befriender means you can support someone…

View

Dumfries & Galloway Befriending Project

Dumfries & Galloway Befriending Project recruits, trains and supports adult volunteers to befriend young people (aged 8 – 18 years) on a one-to-one basis. Our service supports young people who…

View

Fairway Fife

Fairway Fife is a Peer Mentoring Charity involving people with learning disabilities from 16 years of age. Our aim is to encourage and support access to social and leisure facilities…

View

Home Link Family Support

Volunteer to support families with pre-school children, at home, and provide practical and emotional support, we actively encourage family learning, so all children in their early years have the best…

View

Kent Coast Volunteering

Good Neighbours Service

We offer a befriending service to lonely and isolated older people, some of whom have no family, friends and spend every day housebound. Our volunteers are invaluable in helping to…

View

Kincardine & Deeside Befriending

Kincardine and Deeside Befriending

Kincardine & Deeside Befriending brings people together by recruiting, training, and supporting amazing volunteer befrienders who brighten the lives of older adults (55+) living independently. Through meaningful companionship and regular…

View

LEAP Project

LEAP works in a number of communities within South Lanarkshire providing free befriending, handyperson and dementia services, friendship groups and activities and classes to people aged 50 and over who…

View

Linking Lives Eastbourne

Linking Lives Eastbourne sparks friendship and connection within the local community. We are a befriending scheme with the aim of reducing loneliness and improving health and wellbeing for people over…

View

London Irish Centre

The London Irish Centre has served the Irish community in London since it was first established in 1955. Our Befriending Service offers a blended approach of contact. People are matched…

View

Omega, Ending Isolation/Ending Loneliness

Chatterbox, Letterbox

By supporting lonely and socially isolated people within our society, we at Omega aim to help our clients build resilience and extend their independence through befriending, information sharing, self-help, and…

View

Seascape Reconnect with Hope

We assist people to build positive connections in their community and combat social isolation and loneliness, facilitating group befriending sessions within local communities across South Ayrshire as well as offering…

View

Shetland Befriending Scheme

Shetland Befriending Scheme offers befriending on a 1:1 basis to children from aged 7 years, young people and adults aged 16+ years who need support to engage in the community…

View

Sky

Time to Care
Private

Sky Befriending is part of Sky’s Time to Care programme, designed to reduce loneliness by providing friendly, weekly conversations for older or isolated individuals. The service offers a one‑to‑one telephone…

View

Space @ the Broomhouse Hub

Space Youth Befriending Service

We Provide a befriending service for children and young people aged 5–16 across Edinburgh who are affected by Parental Alcohol, Drug or Gambling harms. The service offers one-to-one support for…

View

SWAN Women’s Centre

Befriending Service

We are a women and girls centre based in Sefton, Liverpool, offering face to face and telephone online befriending support for 12 months for women over 18 years old. The…

View

The Welcoming Association

The Welcoming supports New Scots (refugees, asylum seekers and migrants) in Edinburgh by providing a range of services, including: English language classes, employability support, home energy advice, a community fridge,…

View

Time to Talk Befriending

We are an excellence-accredited charity providing befriending for older people in Brighton, Hove, Worthing and Adur in Sussex. Our vision and mission is to create a connected and compassionate community…

View

Together Co

Together Co Befriending

Everybody should have somebody. We match people with people to create friendships that make life better. We’ve been doing so for over 25 years. In that time, we’ve seen loneliness…

View

Volunteer Glasgow

Young Person’s Befriending Service

YPBS provides a high quality service to young people aged 8-18 who are coping with difficult circumstances in their lives. Whether this is because of unusual pressures in the family,…

View

West Lothian Youth Action Project

INtegr8 Befriending Service

Befriending service for young people aged 10-21 with things going on in their lives which affect mental health/wellbeing. The service supports young people with issues around confidence & self-esteem &…

View

West Norfolk Befriending

West Norfolk Befriending works to decrease social isolation among older people aged 65+ in West Norfolk. Many have become isolated due to a change in physical health or through their…

View

Wimbledon Guild

Befriending Service for Adults in Merton

Befriending was one of the first services Wimbledon Guild offered when we began over 100 years ago and is still one of our most popular ways people can get support. We hear…

View

Our Current Award Holders

Interested in applying?

Explore the Quality Award Holders Directory

Aberlour – Scotland’s Children’s Charity

Age UK (national)

Age UK Merton

ALONE

Befriend a Child

BeFriend in Bellshill

Befriend Motherwell

Befrienders Highland

Befriending Caithness

Bfriend (registered South Ayrshire Befriending Project)

Bfriend

Blind Veterans UK

CACE

Changes East Lothian

Befriending East Lothian – Well Connected

Dumfries & Galloway Befriending Project

Fairway Fife

Home Link Family Support

Kent Coast Volunteering

Good Neighbours Service

Kincardine & Deeside Befriending

Kincardine and Deeside Befriending

LEAP Project

Linking Lives Eastbourne

London Irish Centre

Omega, Ending Isolation/Ending Loneliness

Chatterbox, Letterbox

Seascape Reconnect with Hope

Shetland Befriending Scheme

Sky

Time to Care

Private

Space @ the Broomhouse Hub

Space Youth Befriending Service

SWAN Women’s Centre

Befriending Service

The Welcoming Association

Time to Talk Befriending

Together Co

Together Co Befriending

Volunteer Glasgow

Young Person’s Befriending Service

West Lothian Youth Action Project

INtegr8 Befriending Service

West Norfolk Befriending

Wimbledon Guild

Befriending Service for Adults in Merton

Explore Quality Awards

Subscribe to our Befriending Networks Newsletter