• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

St Saviours

A friendly, caring, inter-generational Anglican church in Bournemouth

Sunday Services Email us 01202 430078
Menu
  • Home
  • About us
    • Faith and values
    • Who’s who
    • FAQs
    • Safeguarding
    • Staying safe
    • Close
  • What’s on
    • Calendar
    • Art and Craft Connections
    • Children and families
    • Courses
    • Diamond Times
    • Home groups
    • Knit & Chatter
    • Men
    • Messy Church
    • The Open Link
    • Sunday services
    • Table tennis
    • Women
    • Young people
    • Close
  • Resources
    • Newsletter special
    • Sermons
    • Prayerful Meditations
    • Blog
    • Close
  • Find out about
    • Baptism and thanksgiving
    • Confirmation
    • Weddings
    • Funerals
    • Giving
    • Our teams
    • Mission partners
    • Prayer and Care
    • Close
  • Online Giving
  • Contact us
    • Hall booking
      • Address

        St Saviour’s Chuch, 32 Colemore Road,
        Bournemouth, BH7 6RZ
        Email us
        01202 430078

    • Contact form
    • Close

Home » Blog » Befriending over-65s

Befriending over-65s

20th March 2019 by office_team

Julie Melvin explores why and how we can get involved

Can you volunteer to be a befriender of someone over 65?

Why? One third of over-75s usually spend more than 12 hours a day on their own. One in 10 of the over-75s say they feel ‘intensely lonely all of the time’. One in eight older people who are lonely said they worry about their mental health because they have no-one to talk to. At the last census 20% of Bournemouth population were over 65; nearly 10% (15,296) of Bournemouth’s residents consider themselves carers.

There is some excellent work already being done to address this need at St Saviour’s. For example, Diamond Times, which is being featured on Hope In The Community’s Facebook page at the moment (also shared to our own page).

Here are some comments made by Wendy Hallowell, a member of our 9am congregation who is a befriender with Hope In The Community:

“I have found the experience rewarding. A lot of patience is needed to fulfil needs but not ‘tread on their toes’. I read magazines, and sometimes sing or I read poetry, which she likes. Conversation can be challenging, but when the lady who usually cares and supports gets home from her shopping, I sometimes stay for a cup of tea and have a chat with her.”

How can you join in?

Give a little time: Could you drop in to chat with someone who’s feeling lonely? Or even become a telephone befriender? Just a couple of hours per month could transform a lonely life. Contact me if you would like to volunteer.

Give financially: three people giving £5 per month would allow us to re-connect someone with their local community.

Pray: Hope In The Community can send you regular information so that you can pray for an end to the growing epidemic of loneliness.

Julie Melvin, Hope in the Community representative

Filed Under: News

Primary Sidebar

Recent posts

Back to normal (almost!)

From Sunday 5 September we will be starting a new sermon series as we begin our  journey through Mark’s Gospel. Our … [Read More...] about Back to normal (almost!)

Church opening up

On Monday 12 July Boris Johnson explained the way in which our country will cautiously begin 'opening up' society on … [Read More...] about Church opening up

The real impact

Christie Murphy gives us individual stories from the work of ICN Many of you know that I work for International Care … [Read More...] about The real impact

Footer

Navigation

  • Home
  • About us
  • What’s on
  • Resources
  • Find out about
  • Contact us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Safeguarding

From the Blog

Back to normal (almost!)

From Sunday 5 September we will be starting a new sermon series as we begin our … [Read More...] about Back to normal (almost!)

Church opening up

On Monday 12 July Boris Johnson explained the way in which our country will … [Read More...] about Church opening up

The real impact

Christie Murphy gives us individual stories from the work of ICN Many of you … [Read More...] about The real impact

Contact us

St Saviour’s Church,
32 Colemore Road,
Bournemouth,
BH7 6RZ

01202 430078

office@stsaviours.net

© 2023 St Saviour's Church · Website by TEKOA Creative