West Norfolk Befriending aims to reduce social isolation by providing a link to the outside world. We match isolated older people with trained volunteer Befrienders who will visit or call on a regular basis.

Our service helps clients:

• Enhance their quality of life
• Maintain their independence
• Reduce isolation
• Improve their physical and mental well-being
• Identify risks to health and environment

Typically, clients will receive befriending visits or telephone calls fortnightly. Due to the popularity of our service we can only offer befriending for up to a year and we can only offer a client one service.

Clients and volunteers are closely supported in their befriending match. All befriending matches will be regularly reviewed by a member of staff throughout the year’s service.

We facilitate reintegration to community life wherever possible. Clients are frequently signposted to other services and organisations that may be able to help them.

West Norfolk Befriending is a registered charity and we offer our befriending services to our clients for free. We raise our own funds and rely on grants and donations to offer our service. Find out more about supporting us here.

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Referrals

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West Norfolk Befriending accepts referrals from concerned friends and relatives as well as professionals working with clients, or we are happy to accept self-referrals.

We want to make sure Befriending is the right service and will always speak to you on the phone first. It’s important that we have all the information we need to assess the situation properly and be able to give the right support.

West Norfolk Befriending Criteria:

WNB works to ease isolation for frail, older people who are housebound due to a physical or sensory disability.

Befriending can support couples where one is the carer so has become isolated in the home.

WNB can offer a service to people living with the early stages of Dementia who are able to manage and enjoy conversation.

West Norfolk Befriending offers:

WNB offers quality conversation and interactions on a pre-arranged regular basis from trained and supported volunteers.

Befriending offers a listening ear.

Befriending brings the outside world in.

West Norfolk Befriending is not able to offer:

WNB is unable to offer a service to people with a complex mental health diagnosis.

The WNB befriending team are not professional carers and are unable to offer a sitting service.

To make a referral please call us on 01553 763500. Please ensure that the person you are referring knows you are contacting us and is interested in befriending.

We offer our service throughout the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough. This includes Hunstanton, King’s Lynn, Downham Market and surrounding areas. You can check which borough you are in via the Norfolk County Council website. If you are looking for support in Breckland or North Norfolk please look at CAN Connect.

For more information about our service, please contact us.