ELFT Befriending Service

Helping to combat loneliness and isolation amongst ELFT Service Users and Carers

Who are we?

We provide weekly phone calls to Service Users and Carers experiencing loneliness and isolation.
We host online meet up groups where people can get together, share thoughts and flex their social skills.
We publish a monthly magazine, providing information on how to combat loneliness.
We are 100% staffed by trained, supported ELFT Service Users and Carers with lived experience of mental illness.
We accept referrals from all ELFT services.
We have Befrienders who speak Bengali, Urdu, Italian, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Hindi, Romanian, Punjabi, Yoruba, Somali, Darsi, Pahsto and Farci.

Members of the telephone befriending service

Weekly Phone Calls:

Each Person receives a one-hour call per week for a three or six month period.

We cover all ELFT boroughs and calls can be set up between 9am to 9pm, Monday to Sunday. Service Users will speak with the same Befriender each week, allowing them to build trust and rapport.

Anything discussed during the calls is completely confidential, "it's like having a coffee with a friend!"

Please be aware that we are not a clinical, counselling, or crisis service. To set up phone calls, please contact your ELFT clinical team for a referral.

Online Meet-Ups:

Service Users can join our online social meet-up group. The meetings are hosted by two of our Befrienders on MS team. You can join from any laptop, desktop, or smart device. The group is open to all and anybody can self-refer.

The group times are: