The latest charity in our series of features is the Southern Befrienders (charity no. 939).
I spoke to Val Haslam, who joined the charity as Scheme Manager in January 2016.
Who are you / What do you do?
Southern Befrienders is a Manx registered charity, based in Port Erin, which provides companionship to older people in the southern communities of the Isle of Man.
We support older people in two ways - volunteer Befrienders visit older people every week for a chat and a cuppa, enjoy mutual activities like baking, gardening or watching their favourite TV programme together, going out for a walk or even to the pub!
We also organise a full programme of daytime, group social activities which include bingo, lunches, scrabble, mahjong, bridge, film afternoons, chippy suppers and trips to places of interest on the island.
Why / When did you form?
The charity was established in 2005 in response to an identified need in that many older people were spending long periods of time alone.
Sadly, this is still true today and our service is as vital now as it was 17 years ago.
Following the Covid lockdowns, we know what it is like to be separated from loved ones for several months.
This is the reality for many older people on the island, but their isolation can last for years.
Today, there is someone living nearby who is lonely, who doesn’t speak to anyone from one week to the next, and who would love to share experiences and memories and create new ones with a volunteer Befriender or enjoy a social activity with their peers.
What has been your biggest achievement or proudest moment since forming?
Our biggest achievement has been the longevity and growth of the charity.
We now support nearly 200 older people with over 110 volunteers. Most of our volunteers have dedicated their time, empathy and listening skills to Southern Befrienders for over five years, and many of them have supported us for over 10 years.
Due to the excellent governance, guidance and strategy of our Board of Directors, who are all volunteers, the charity is currently on a stable financial footing giving service users and supporters confidence that we are here for the long-term.
We were proud to receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.
In 2021, we were finalists in the Awards for Excellence Caring for the Island’s Wellbeing category.
It is always gratifying to be officially recognised for our service, but our greatest achievement is the positive feedback we get from people who thank us for the support we provided to a grandparent, parent, friend or neighbour.
Southern Befrienders is a well-loved and respected charity in the south and local people view it as their local charity and support us in turn by donating and volunteering.
What is your biggest ambition / goal for the future?
Our biggest ambition and therefore our biggest challenge is to continue to improve the lives of as many older, isolated people as we can over the coming months and years, by supporting them to live independently in their own homes for as long as possible, with increased confidence, mobility, and reaffirming that they are valued members of their community.
It is also our biggest challenge because, by definition, isolated people become “invisible” behind their front doors.
How can people get involved?
Make a referral:
We need everyone to be aware when an older neighbour or loved one would benefit from regular companionship.
The referral process is very simple – just a phone call to 833025 or email to [email protected].
The older person should give their permission to be referred, they should be over 60 (although we can accept younger people on to the service depending on their individual circumstances), and live in the south of the island.
We will follow up with a friendly, home visit to find out how we can help.
Volunteer:
Our dedicated volunteers are vital to run the service.
We need men and women of all ages who can spare a few hours each week to visit someone in their own home or help with our social events.
It may be a good option for parents who feel isolated at home with young children, people who are retired or between jobs and need a new structure to their week, people who want to pursue a career in social care or the medical profession, learn new skills, enhance their CV, or who simply want to “give something back” to the community.
Donate:
To ensure we are around for many years to come, we need continued financial support.
A great way to raise funds for Southern Befrienders is to organise a fun event – like bingo, race evenings or concerts or include us on your company’s or school’s list of charity cake bakes or dress down days, or sponsorship for one of the many challenges held on the island.
Our 100 Club is a shared giving scheme, whereby Club members pay £5 per month and at the end of every quarter the total prize pot is shared 50% to Southern Befrienders and 50% split between three cash prize winners.
Visit our fabulous Book Nook on the ground floor of Thie Rosien; our little shop where you can get top fiction titles, special interest and children’s books for a donation of just £1, magazines for 50p and jigsaws for £3.
The Book Nook is just inside the main doors and is open when the building is open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings.
Where can people find you and where can they donate?
Our office is in Thie Rosien in Port Erin, the building opposite the fire station and Southern Group Practice.
We welcome visitors to our office but as it is manned by three part-time staff, it’s a good idea to ring ahead on 833025 or leave a message on our answerphone.
You can email us at [email protected].
You can also contact us on Messenger via our Facebook page, or website where you can also donate southernbefrienders.im.
You can donate via https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/southern-befrienders using a debit/credit card or PayPal.
Donations can be made by bank transfer.
We also welcome cash donations!
We keep our overheads as low as possible so you can be assured that every donation is spent on supporting older people.
l If you represent a charity and would like to see it featured in this series, email [email protected]