New Phone Friendship scheme for Ballymena

The innovative project ix aimed at older people living in Ballymena, Larne, Ballymoney, Moyle and Coleraine, who because of old age, illness, disability or caring responsibilities find it difficult to get out and enjoy the social interaction that most of us take for granted.

Community Network – the UK’s only telephone befriending charity – is to use the concept and technology of telephone conferencing to set up telephone friendship groups, and link up people who feel isolated and cut off from society.

“Social isolation can have a devastating effect on people’s lives,” Sue Robinson, Social Inclusion Officer for Community Network, said.

She added: “Feeling alone and excluded from society can destroy an individual’s self-confidence and be detrimental to their physical and mental health.”

The telephone befriending groups allow six to eight people in each group to regularly link up on the telephone for up to an hour, where they can share interests and experiences, and make new friends.

Occasionally guest speakers will be invited to join the groups to offer advice on health, benefits, housing and other social care services.

A trained volunteer will manage each group to ensure it runs effectively and that all those taking part benefit from the experience.

There will be no charge to those participating in the project, which is funded by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Community Network is interested to hear form any community organisation that feels the project could benefit the people it serves.

For further information about Community Network call 0845 619 9992 or visit www.community-network.org