Mid and East Antrim Agewell Partnership celebrates 'BFF' volunteers

Volunteers Week takes place June 1-7 every year, and is chance for small grassroots organisations as well as larger, household-name charities to recognise and thank volunteers for the fantastic contribution they make to communities.

The Building Flourishing Friendships (BFF) project was started after Agewell identified an overwhelming need for face to face befriending for local older people as they emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of the older people that Agewell support had spent a lengthy period of time extremely isolated in order to protect themselves from the pandemic.

With this in mind, the new BFF service was designed to provide much needed face-to-face visiting for older people who are not able to get out and about just as easily as they may have done before.

BFF Befrienders play a vital role by visiting local older people, building up friendships and developing social connections with them.

One such promising friendship is that of Sadie and her volunteer, Peggy Butler.

Peggy has been visiting Sadie since February 2023, with both making the most of their time to chat about mutual interests, including gardening and family.

They also enjoy playing games together, such as card matching or snakes and ladders, and taking walks in Sadie’s beautiful garden.

Another great friendship that has bloomed from the project is Frank and his volunteer, Fred McGuigan.

Fred has been visiting Frank since February 2023 and together they have struck up a fabulous friendship on Fred’s weekly visits, chatting about current events and past times.

Jenny Marshall from Agewell said: “This service has become invaluable for those whose mobility has become impaired and are unfortunately unable to get out and about like they used to. Our volunteers are a lifeline to many, providing a much needed friendly face and a regular chat.

"Our current referral list for this service continues to grow at speed and we are seeking new volunteers to match up with older people from the local area who would benefit from a befriending visit.”

Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and try new things, according to Agewell.

For many, volunteering can help improve confidence and provide opportunities to learn and develop new skills. In addition to this, volunteering is a great way to ‘give back’ or support causes you may be passionate about.

Agewell currently have a number of volunteering opportunities including Befrienders, Office Volunteers, Volunteer Drivers and Fundraising Volunteers.

For further information or to apply to be a volunteer with Agewell, get in touch on 028 25658604.

The organisation is an inter-agency-based partnership with the goal of improving the lives of older people aged 50 years and over in Ballymena, Larne and Carrickfergus.

In 2022, the organisation launched its ‘Ageing Well’ magazine for seniors in the borough.

The publication features stories from inspirational older people across the borough, up to date local activities and events, as well as highlighting the support available for older people from MEAAP.