Linking Lives brings people together to support socially isolated older people through home visits and engagement in social events and activities in the community. Weekly visits of between one and two hours, enable volunteers to make a significant difference to the lives of older people.

We receive referrals from local organisations, friends and family members. Volunteers are fully vetted, interviewed, trained and linked up with someone matching their interests and personality.

We are part of a national network of projects through Linking Lives UK.
 

The project was initiated by St Saviour’s Church, Brockley Rise, in 2016, on the 150th anniversary of the founding of the church and in response to the need to combat loneliness in the local area. 

Posters and leaflets advertising attract local volunteers who, after training, DBS checks and careful matching of interests, visit clients weekly or fortnightly for one or two hours. This ‘Befriending’ process has been amazingly successful and those involved share stories of friendship which have been mutually beneficial. 

We hope to continue to increase our numbers and to concentrate more on ensuring the clients we have are aware of services on offer from other agencies and to give them two befrienders in cases of extreme loneliness.