Good afternoon everyone, I hope you’re all well, safe.  Just to let you know, our Befriending Service is reaching out to offer Telephone Befriending support to even more customers now.

Our Telephone Befriending Service is there to offer older isolated people a friendly chat over the phone.  We provide a lifeline to the outside world because we make time for conversation and friendship.  Customers who might usually request home visit befriending are contacting us.  Also, many of our older neighbours, friends and community members who are normally out and about are now isolated at home. We want to help ensure their continued safety and good health during this difficult time.

Qualification for service

As much as we’d like to support everyone, I am very sorry to say that we cannot be a counselling or bereavement service, or a complimentary mental health service, or a dementia service: our Telephone Befriending Volunteers just aren’t trained for this level of support.

Please, to avoid disappointing your customers sitting within these most vulnerable groups, support them by referring in to more appropriate services.  If you think we can help in other ways, why not ask our customer services team for advice today on 0191 2808484

Referral process for telephone befriending

All referrals to be made by telephone until we let you know that things have changed (this may be several months).

Please ring 0191 2808484 and ask to speak with our customer services team to raise a telephone befriending request to our CRM system.

The customer services team will set up a customer record and you will have the following information ready –

Customer name, address, telephone number, date of birth, mental and physical health history that you are aware of, the reason for your request, some customer background.

It is essential that you leave your full name, your organisation and your direct dial telephone number. Our customer services team will record this information inside your referral request, as I will be speaking with you first about your referral, before contacting the customer direct.

Please check before ringing us that you have the customer’s permission.

Thanks for reading,

Best wishes, Beverley

Regards

Beverley Swan
Befriending Coordinator

C&V
Age Uk
Bradbury Centre, 13 Saville Street West,
North Shields
NE29 6QP
01912808484
0872 1108 450
Beverley.Swan@ageuknorthtyneside.org.uk
www.ageuk.org.uk/northtyneside