Loneliness Awareness Week takes place from 9-15 June, providing a chance to address growing concerns throughout society about social isolation. The theme for 2025 is ‘Meeting Loneliness Together’ and the importance of reducing the stigma around natural human emotion.
Loneliness can affect people of all ages, regardless of background. With this in mind, the Trust has a ‘Befriending Service’, geared towards service users and carers across our patch.
What is the Befriending Service?
The Service’s mission is all about fighting loneliness and isolation. It checks in with service users and carers once a week to brighten up their day and help fight off feelings of loneliness or isolation.
Each service user receives a one-hour call per week for a three or six month period. The service covers 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.
Everything discussed during the calls are completely confidential. If service users or carers would like to set up befriending calls, they should contact the service they are known to, or their GP for a referral.
How else does the Befriending Service combat loneliness?
Its social media channels, including Instagram, TikTok and YouTube provides lots of content. These include tips for joining a new club or social group, creating an anxiety comfort box and case studies from staff and service users.
Finally, the Service has also created a playlist on Spotify, aimed to provide uplifting songs for when service users and carers are feeling down.
If you would like to learn more about the Befriending Service, or are even interested in becoming a Befriender yourself, you can get in touch with the team at elft.befriendingservice@nhs.net.