You may have spotted that our telephone/in-person befriending service Silver Talk and Friends has had a bit of a makeover with a brand-new name – Staying Connected.
Staying Connected is now part of our new charity Karbon Foundation. The foundation brings together a range of community-focused services designed to provide practical, locally led support to people who need it most.
We shortlisted several names for the service and asked service users, volunteers, customers and colleagues to vote for their favourite. Staying Connected came out as the firm winner.
Staying Connected Coordinator, Chris Fletcher said:
“This is an exciting new chapter for our service. There will be no change to how we deliver our Silver Talk and Friends service day to day. However, becoming a registered charity means we can widen our support and apply for funding we were previously ineligible for, helping us reach and support even more people in our communities. As we expand our befriending offer to a wider audience, we want to ensure the name feels inclusive and welcoming to everyone who could benefit.”
Staying Connected currently offers two services:
- Our telephone befriending service which gives people the opportunity to connect for regular, social telephone chats.
- Our in-person social befriending programme which is designed to help older and vulnerable people overcome loneliness and isolation. We organise event and activities in the North County Durham and West Northumberland areas.
Celebrating our volunteers
We work with several volunteers who help support the service. They give their time to socialise with our service users – whether that be as a telephone befriender or helping out at one of our events.
We recently celebrated the anniversaries of our long standing volunteers with a special event at the Church of the Latter Day Saints in Stanley.
Our Staying Connected Team showed their appreciation for the amazing support these volunteers provide. They served them a buffet lunch of sandwiches, cakes and tea and coffee. They also presented them with certificates and goodies to mark their years of service.
One of the volunteers, Christine Eddisford, has been part of the service for 7 years:
“It’s enjoyable, you can make new friends and natter away.
“It’s cathartic for the people we call and ourselves. They tell us their troubles, and they can trust us to give them confidential support.
“I regularly speak to a lady who has can’t drive anymore and feels stuck because she’s lost her independence. The call helps her as she can get things off her chest. Having someone there to talk about can help with the ups and downs of life, especially when you don’t have anyone to talk to. Every time I call they say, “I’ve been looking forward to speak with you.”
Malcom Charlaw wanted to build up a social life with the service:
“The worst thing is to be alone. It’s not good for the mental health. When I found out about the service I thought ‘I’ll look into this’. I’ve met so many wonderful people it’s really changed my life.
“Everyone is very welcoming and that makes a difference, especially for people who join us for the first time. It has a great atmosphere, and you can make great connections.
“I talk to people, share jokes and tell stories. I like to be able to put a smile on people’s faces. I’m also there for people who want to talk privately and get support. I’ve been a councillor for most of my life. If somebody wants to talk, I’m there to listen.”
Malcolm loves Staying Connected so much that he even wrote a song about it which you can listen to here.
Want to take part in Staying Connected?
Whether you would like to become a volunteer and help somebody to feel less lonely or could benefit from the support our service provides, you can use the link below to find out more.
Find out more
You may have spotted that our telephone/in-person befriending service Silver Talk and Friends has had a bit of a makeover with a brand-new name – Staying Connected.
Staying Connected is now part of our new charity Karbon Foundation. The foundation brings together a range of community-focused services designed to provide practical, locally led support to people who need it most.
We shortlisted several names for the service and asked service users, volunteers, customers and colleagues to vote for their favourite. Staying Connected came out as the firm winner.
Staying Connected Coordinator, Chris Fletcher said:
“This is an exciting new chapter for our service. There will be no change to how we deliver our Silver Talk and Friends service day to day. However, becoming a registered charity means we can widen our support and apply for funding we were previously ineligible for, helping us reach and support even more people in our communities. As we expand our befriending offer to a wider audience, we want to ensure the name feels inclusive and welcoming to everyone who could benefit.”
Staying Connected currently offers two services:
Celebrating our volunteers
We work with several volunteers who help support the service. They give their time to socialise with our service users – whether that be as a telephone befriender or helping out at one of our events.
We recently celebrated the anniversaries of our long standing volunteers with a special event at the Church of the Latter Day Saints in Stanley.
Our Staying Connected Team showed their appreciation for the amazing support these volunteers provide. They served them a buffet lunch of sandwiches, cakes and tea and coffee. They also presented them with certificates and goodies to mark their years of service.
One of the volunteers, Christine Eddisford, has been part of the service for 7 years:
“It’s enjoyable, you can make new friends and natter away.
“It’s cathartic for the people we call and ourselves. They tell us their troubles, and they can trust us to give them confidential support.
“I regularly speak to a lady who has can’t drive anymore and feels stuck because she’s lost her independence. The call helps her as she can get things off her chest. Having someone there to talk about can help with the ups and downs of life, especially when you don’t have anyone to talk to. Every time I call they say, “I’ve been looking forward to speak with you.”
Malcom Charlaw wanted to build up a social life with the service:
“The worst thing is to be alone. It’s not good for the mental health. When I found out about the service I thought ‘I’ll look into this’. I’ve met so many wonderful people it’s really changed my life.
“Everyone is very welcoming and that makes a difference, especially for people who join us for the first time. It has a great atmosphere, and you can make great connections.
“I talk to people, share jokes and tell stories. I like to be able to put a smile on people’s faces. I’m also there for people who want to talk privately and get support. I’ve been a councillor for most of my life. If somebody wants to talk, I’m there to listen.”
Malcolm loves Staying Connected so much that he even wrote a song about it which you can listen to here.
Want to take part in Staying Connected?
Whether you would like to become a volunteer and help somebody to feel less lonely or could benefit from the support our service provides, you can use the link below to find out more.
Find out more
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