Telephone befriender Pilar Monteiro writes about the impact volunteering has made not only to the person she supports, but also to her own life and feelings of wellbeing.
If her story resonates with you and you would like to find out more about volunteering with us, please get in touch.
I’ve been lonely
Loneliness is a topic that is very close and personal to me. As an only child who was also very shy, I rarely had someone my age to play or spend time with.
Growing up, all my peers had siblings, except me. Being lonely felt normal to me.
In 2021, I moved from Portugal to Brighton all by myself. Since then, and despite my now independent spirit, I’ve felt lonely again a few times.
My family and most of my friends are all in Portugal and I rarely see them anymore. Outside work I only have a handful of British friends, so I still spend a lot of time by myself.
I don’t mind spending time by myself; in fact I learned to love it. But not everyone is like that.
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We are all strangers at first, but we don’t have to stay strangers forever.
When I first heard of Together Co, I immediately resonated with their mission to combat loneliness and saw it as the perfect opportunity to help someone in need and make a new friend at the same time.
In April 2024, I became a telephone befriender and I couldn’t be happier. I was matched with a lovely lady who has so many interests in common and is always a delight to talk to.
I’m always looking forward to our (sometimes very long) conversations and I truly feel like I’ve made a friend for life.
Social connection
We are all strangers at first, but we don’t have to stay strangers forever. By helping someone in need, by giving some of our time, by brightening up someone’s day, or bringing a smile to their face, we can feel better too.
Who knows? It might just be the beginning of a beautiful, long-lasting relationship. We all need social connections, even if we don’t feel lonely. That’s perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve taken from being a Together Co volunteer.
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Together Co supports people across Brighton and Hove who are experiencing loneliness or social isolation, and want to feel a part of their community, when they might be struggling with their confidence and connecting with others.
