Age UK launches Friend in Need service

We’re thrilled that Age UK has launched its new Friend in Need service for the people of Wales who are aged 70-years-old and above.

Friend in Need

The service provides free telephone friendship calls for people across the country. Services like this are especially important after the Coronavirus pandemic, when many elderly people have been isolated. They haven’t been able to see or speak to members of their family, friends or neighbours as often as they are used to.

Before the pandemic, many elderly people often went days, even weeks, without speaking to another person, so the lockdown restrictions hit them extremely hard.

If you are 70-years-old and live in Wales, you can register for a free friendship call from a trained and vetted volunteer. You can phone Age Cymru Advice on 08000 223 444 between Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

Friendship calls will be once a week at an agreed time and are 30 minutes in length.

After registering, Age UK, will follow up with a call where they will find out more about you and information to match you with a friend.

For more information about the service, click here. Age UK is also looking for people to volunteer to be a befriender, you can find out more info about volunteering here.