Time to Talk Befriending has eavesdropped on befriender Debbie and the older person she visits regularly, Jean. The video shows the rewards of volunteering as a befriender – for both of them. Debbie describes juggling family life and work and how much she enjoys seeing Jean for an hour or so each week – ‘something for me’, she calls it.
‘It really is worth it… it makes me happy that I’ve spoken to somebody else. You know, I’ve brightened their day. They’ve brightened my day.’
The film shows Jean leafing through her old photo albums, and later chatting with Debbie while they each hold a hand-knitted cross. Debbie says, ‘This just makes me feel good that I’m giving back a little bit as well.’
Time to Talk Befriending has many volunteer befrienders and also offers spiritual care through an in-house team of Anna Chaplains for Older People.
Across the country, there are volunteers working alongside Anna Chaplains some of whom are known as Anna Friends. Find out more at annachaplaincy.org.uk/about-anna-chaplaincy.
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