Salvation Army in Bangor seeks befrienders

Julia Gillen from The Salvation Army in Bangor gives us the background to service provision provided by the organisation in the local community for the past 10 years!

Says Julia, “The Salvation Army has been running a Befriending service since 2013. The aim then was to reach out and serve members of the local community by tackling loneliness and isolation, which causes mental health problems and poor health. We build lifelong relationships with those whom we befriend and assure them that someone cares.

Our team of befrienders is made up of people from a whole range of back grounds with new requests to become befrienders coming forward. We receive regular referrals from Social Services and other local organisations who work with older people.

Once someone has expressed an interest in becoming a befriender, they are trained in the safety of vulnerable adults and have a Access N.I check. On receipt of satisfactory references, they are ready to be matched up with a partner befriender to go out visiting our

Befriendees. Visits take place in the Befriendees home for a chat or go out for coffee.

One of our Befriendee’s, Valerie, benefits from the service, she says that it is ‘very, very good’ and her befriender is lovely. She looks forward to the cup of tea and a chat because it ‘might be the only person that she sees all week.’ Valerie has no family close by and she says at her age, all her friends have passed away.

We aim to cater for those who are isolated in their community and who are over 65. We initially visit our new Befriendee to ensure the referral is suitable and we stay in contact with them by phone call until we can match them with a Befriender. We would love to encourage anyone who could give an hour a month to bring a smile to a lonely or isolated person, to consider befriending. You will find it a valuable part of your month, it’s so rewarding to know that you have made a real difference in the life of someone in your community and perhaps made a new friend. Our Befriender Ann has been volunteering with the Salvation Army for a long time and she enjoys meeting new people, she says, ‘I am on my own now, I enjoy the company and learning about different subjects. It works both ways, I have definitely made a good friend.’ “

For more information contact Julia Gillen Befriending coordinator Bangor Salvation Army 07469658405