Good Neighbours

Good Neighbours is simple: we connect over-50s to befrienders, building positive relationships across Warwick.

How does Good Neighbours work?

One of our society’s biggest problems is loneliness, particularly in older people. It affects mental and physical health, but can be tackled so easily!

Good Neighbours was developed in conjunction with local churches determined to tackle loneliness in older generations.

It connects volunteer befrienders with a spare half hour to telephone or visit an older person.

Get involved

I’m interested in becoming a befriender

Find out more

Refer someone to Good Neighbours

Refer someone

FAQ

Each friendship is shaped by the needs of the older person. It might involve:

A regular chat, by phone or in person
Sharing a hobby together
Meeting for a short walk
Checking you are safe and well
Visiting a café together
Connecting you to a local group or activity
Helping you access the library delivery service, or find trusted tradespeople

Befrienders don’t replace carers and can’t provide personal care or medical help.

When an older person is referred to our service, Caroline, our Good Neighbours coordinator, will get in touch to find out a bit about them. They introduce them to a local befriender who shares some interests or hobbies. If that introduction goes well, they meet each week or fortnight.

Befrienders only need 30-60 spare minutes a week. There’s a short training course and safeguarding training, along with ID checks and a DBS police check.

We take data protection very seriously, and keep all client and befriender details confidential.

All you need is to be a friendly person with 30-60 spare minutes a week. There’s no upper age limit on being a befriender.

There’s a short training course and safeguarding training, along with ID checks and a DBS police check. Then you’re good to go!

Our team will introduce you to an older person and, if you get on well, you’ll go from there.

For no-obligation information about being a befriender, get in touch with us by filling out this form.

We take referrals from all sorts of places! GPs, social services, and other community groups can refer people to us. But you can also refer yourself, or someone you know.

For people living with dementia and their carers, we run Memory Lane cafes at The Open Door Meeting Place. These supportive, fun groups meet with interesting activities for people with dementia, and time for carers to chat to one another.

Befriending volunteers generally visit or phone people aged 60+, and priority is given to those who are living alone. However, Good Neighbours can help anyone who’s 50 or over, whatever their circumstances.

Good Neighbours helps people in Warwick and the surrounding area.