Rotherham Federation of Communities (Rotherfed) supports communities to grow and develop, working together to build their sense of belonging and community pride.
The Telephone Befriending Project was launched in April 2020 to support people in our communities throughout the pandemic, it was soon evident this service was having a positive impact and that loneliness and isolation wasn’t just a result of the pandemic. Calls are made by volunteers to lonely and isolated residents in the Rotherham Borough, and Rotherfed receive referrals from professionals and self-referrals.
The individuals on the project come from all diverse backgrounds, different ages, races, and all genders. Subject to assessment, they support adults over the age of 18 who, for whatever reason find themself isolated. Isolation does not necessary mean living alone – some of those supported have young children and no other adult company, others have a house full but for personal reasons need the friendship calls to help them combat the loneliness they feel.
Partnership working with Rotherfed projects such as Energy Know How and Making Our Money Go Further, ensures that recipients can also access the services to get them the help and advice they need. The whole team goes that extra mile to ensure the recipient is okay and receiving timely interventions if needed. To refer into the service please contact info@rotherfed.org or ffion.whitehead@rotherfed.org.
Rotherfed receive continual positive feedback about the weekly calls made by their volunteers. To ensure they can continue to offer this service, they are always looking for new volunteers to take on calls and meet the demand in keeping with the high standards they have set. If you have one to two hours spare per week and would like to become a Telephone Befriending Volunteer, then please contact info@rotherfed.org, call 01709 368515 or email joanne.bushby@rotherfed.org or Ffion.whitehead@rotherfed.org. You can visit www.rotherhamfederation.org for more information.