BeFriend - Berwickshire Housing Association

What is BeFriend?

BHA Befriend is a befriending service supported by the National Lottery Community Fund Scotland and Berwickshire Housing Association,
to help people living in Berwickshire and Kelso who are over the age of 65, to maintain social connections and engage with their local communities.

1:1 Befriending

1:1 befriending is where an individual is matched with a volunteer who may visit you at home or telephone befriend you on a regular basis. Having a volunteer befriender may enable you to get involved in hobbies, accompany you to go for a walk, go out for coffee or along to other social events.

Community Befriending

Community befriending offers people the opportunity to join in with community befriending groups. These groups are a great place to make friends, get out and about, and get active. Community befriending is involved in a number of regular activities including shopping trips, community lunches, musical events and other events such as seated Yoga, new age kurling, boccia.

Our volunteer befrienders are vetted, trained and have ongoing support from staff.

Make A Difference! Be A Volunteer.

Benefits of being a Volunteer

Have a chance to get to know your community better

Boost your confidence and wellbeing as you interact with our befriendees

Have a sense of fulfillment as you give back to your community

1:1 Befriending

Where does it happen?

Usually in the befriendee’s own home or via a phone call. Sometimes they might go to a garden centre or a community centre, if the volunteer is happy to do that.

What does a 1:1 befriender do?

Visit people in their homes. If you have the time, you might visit more than one person.
Keep the person company and help them decide if they want to do something new.
Help people to go to any clubs, societies, drop-in sessions, outings and such.

Community Befriending

What do group befriending volunteers do?