Welcome Friends: Worthing Salvation Army's respected befriending scheme celebrates 10th anniversary

The highly-active and respected befriending scheme was funded by the daughter of a former mayor and the current mayor, Henna Chowdhury, joined the group for celebration tea.

Volunteers are at the heart of the service and the tea was an opportunity to say thank-you to all those who make regular visits to older people living alone in the Worthing area.

Jill White, Welcome Friends co-ordinator, said: "The Salvation Army has always been the natural home for people who believe in putting their faith into action: 'Where there’s a need, there’s The Salvation Army'.

"So, when Elaine Baird, the daughter of a former mayor of Worthing, left a generous legacy in her father’s memory, the decision was made to establish a befriending scheme that has, for ten years now, reached out to hundreds of people in the Worthing area.

"Loneliness can be a terrible thing but the care of a friend can make the world of difference."

Since September 2012, Welcome Friends has been building a community of volunteers who make visits to people’s homes and to build, over time, meaningful friendships. Over the past year, the befriending team has made more than 2,000 contacts with their friends.

Jill said: "What sets Welcome Friends apart from most other befriending services is the ‘til death us to part’ policy. The service is totally free and not time-limited. Over the past ten years, befrienders have continued to stay in touch with their friends, even if the friends need to go into hospital or long-term care.

"Even the pandemic did not defeat the scheme's aim of tackling loneliness. When visits were not allowed, staff and volunteers replaced visits with telephone calls, cards, letters, newsletters and emails. They took shopping to friends’ doorsteps along with cakes, presents and activity packs.

"Befriending could be seen as quite a solitary volunteering role. Unlike volunteering in a community café or a charity shop, where you have lots of other people around, befrienders tend to work alone. So, it’s important to have get-togethers and outings where volunteers can meet each other and chat.

"The Tenth Anniversary Celebration Tea was, therefore, a perfect way to give thanks for the first ten years of befriending and to look forward to the next ten years and more of visiting people and making friends."

Call 01903 233671 to find out more, to volunteer or to refer someone to Welcome Friends.