Befriending
Everybody should have somebody. We match people with people to create friendships that make life better. We’ve been doing so for over 20 years. In that time, we’ve seen loneliness eased and lives changed – all through the simple power of human connection.
Last year…
including 130 new volunteers
16,500 hours of support given
Create valuable friendships
We know making new friends isn’t always easy. We can help by matching you with a befriender who lives locally and who you can meet with regularly.
“I feel my befriender is part of my family. I am so grateful.”
Share interests & experiences
When we match people we consider their backgrounds and interests – we’ll tell you some basic things about each other to help you both feel comfortable when you first meet. Being able to talk about your thoughts and the things you like makes it easy for a friendship to grow naturally.
Improve confidence & self-esteem
As well as social visiting, a befriender can help you with things you’re not too confident with – like going out to the shops or the doctors.
“My befriender visits, takes me out, and takes me to hospital appointments. They’re a friend now who comes for a cuppa and chat. We have a laugh.”
Live happier & healthier lives
We all deserve to feel happy and healthy. Befriending is a simple way of connecting with others, which can be a big help – both for you and your befriender.
“Over five years, the person I visit and I have developed a meaningful and personal relationship that means a lot to us.”
“Things are coming together and I am overcoming my barriers.”
Our process
- You – or a friend, family member, or professional working with you – can get in touch with us by completing our online form, calling, emailing or writing to us.
- When we receive your details, one of our team will contact you to arrange an assessment visit, or phone call, to help you decide whether we are the right service for you, and which of our options for befriending will best fit your needs.
- Our befriending matching process is personalised and based on details such as where you live, your interests and shared characteristics.
- When we think we’ve found a good match, we’ll contact you and the befriender to check you’re both happy to connect with each other.
- You’ll start to meet or chat regularly, on your own terms.
- If you are going to be coming along to one of our groups, we will discuss with you whether you need transport, and which of our groups across the city you would like to attend.
- We keep in touch with people using our services, and you can contact us if you ever need to talk about something.
Together Co is delighted to be a partner in the city’s Ageing Well Partnership which aims to help people make the most of the opportunities that being older and wiser can bring.
Get support
Together Co Befriending offers friendship to those who are experiencing loneliness and social isolation and are:
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over the age of 50 with limited to no social connections
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or over the age of 18 with health conditions causing isolation
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or are a carer to these groups
We match people for face-to-face befriending, telephone befriending and group befriending.
Looking for the Casserole Club?
Brighton and Hove Casserole Club is a free, local food-sharing community run in partnership by Together Co Befriending and the Food Partnership. We connect people who love cooking and want to be active in their community (cooks) with isolated neighbours who no longer find it easy to cook for themselves (diners). This involves sharing an extra portion of food on a regular (perhaps fortnightly) basis – whatever works best for the cook and diner.
Contact us if you’d like to become a diner, or to become a cook simply apply as a Befriending Volunteer and let us know that you’re interested in meal sharing.
Volunteer as a Befriender
It’s amazing what we can achieve together. Give us a little of your time and we’ll help you make a big difference in your local community.
Latest Befriending post
Give the gift of connection this Christmas
We are delighted to let you know that our campaign to Give the Gift of Connection this Christmas is now live!
© 2019 Together Collective a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales: Company No. 03895574, whose registered office is Projects The Lanes, Nile House, Nile St, Brighton BN1 1HW. Together Collective is a registered charity: Charity No. 1083390