Befriending volunteers needed

By Karen Wyatt-Epapara

Wimborne Befriending Service, which has been in operation for about 10 years in the BH21 postcode area, is looking for volunteers.

The service pairs its clients with a volunteer who will then visit on a regular basis. It is currently being managed by Judi Runciman, who said the service is always in need of new volunteers as new clients come on board.

Clients are usually referred by a doctor, social prescriber or family member and are people whose quality of life could be improved though social contact with another person. There is no charge for the service, which is entirely volunteer-run.

Prospective volunteers are vetted before they can be matched with a client. This includes completion of forms, an interview and submission of photo ID. References and a DBS check are also required. Once someone has been approved, they will receive a volunteer’s badge and will officially become a volunteer. The service is managed through the Royal Voluntary Service, which pays for the necessary checks, so the only cost to the volunteer at this stage is for the photo ID.

When a client is referred, Judi will make a home visit to meet them and find what they hope to gain from the service. She then matches the client to the volunteer best placed to meet their needs. She will introduce the two, usually in the client’s home, before leaving them to get to know one another.

Judi said: “Initially, I ask for one visit a week. This is usually around one-anda-half hours and it’s up to the client and volunteer what that will include. It may be simply for a chat over a cup of tea, or helping someone with limited sight to complete a crossword puzzle, for example.

“It needs to be a two-way thing, and both the client and volunteer should enjoy the visits. Sometimes, the client and volunteer develop a real friendship, and visits become more frequent, or they catch up in between by phone.”

Judi said that a lot of people in the area have been hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. Some are experiencing very real anxiety at the thought of leaving their homes after so long, while others are struggling to maintain mobility after not being able to get out and about as much as they would have previously. Others have hit a debilitating apathy where leaving the house becomes very difficult.

Judi said: “Often the people we see are at rock bottom and yet, even in a short visit, you can see someone visibly light up through human contact. It’s really lovely, and very rewarding when you see this happen.”

According to Judi, prospective volunteers need to be “positive people – sympathetic, encouraging and able to adapt their approach.”

If you would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer for the service, call Judi on 07717 748730 or email wimbornebs@ royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.