Liz Watson says Scotland's befriending services work with thousands of lonely people from all sorts of backgrounds and many desperately need volunteers

We at Befriending Networks were very interested and encouraged to learn from TFN that the charity Contact the Elderly has a surfeit of volunteers who are prepared to open their doors to lonely older people to offer a regular tea party.

While this is great news, the reality is many befriending organisations across Scotland, who offer a range of services to lonely, isolated or marginalised people – not all of whom are older – are struggling to recruit volunteer befrienders.

Some of our 260 member services work tirelessly to support people who don’t fit easily into the cuddly granny stereotype

Liz Watson

Some of our 260 member services work tirelessly to support people who don’t fit easily into the cuddly granny stereotype, who may for example have challenging behaviour, previous patterns of offending or addiction, or mental health issues, or who are housebound due to ill health and are therefore restricted in terms of accessing some of the opportunities in their community.

Unsurprisingly, these services sometimes find it a challenge to recruit befrienders – although retention isn’t necessarily an issue, suggesting that once a volunteer befriender is trained, matched and supported, they gain huge satisfaction from their befriending activity, particularly if they manage to sustain a relationship with some of the harder to reach individuals they are matched with.

Many people experience loneliness as a problem that is not “easily solved by a community” as the article claims. Some communities have additional challenges and burdens, from inner city areas which feel unsafe to rural communities with very restricted transport links, which mean that some lonely people don’t feel able to participate in community activities, even if they are aware of them.

The first week in November is Befriending Week. Befriending services across Scotland have lengthy waiting lists and many would welcome additional volunteer befrienders who could find a couple of hours every week or two to provide support, companionship and a window on the world to someone who’s lonely.

If anyone thinks they may be able to do this, or knows someone who might, contact details of services can be found on our website and they would love to hear from you. It just might be the most enjoyable and rewarding two hours a week you spend.

Liz Watson is chief executive of Befriending Networks