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Two friends seated on a sofa having a conversation with focus on older woman wearing a pink shirt

Create a lasting friendship

Our telephone, online and face-to-face befriending services for older people across Britain helps tackle feelings of loneliness and isolation.

A befriending volunteer and an older lady smiling in a church

A listening and supportive companion

Our befriending service is a flexible and confidential service that matches you with a compassionate volunteer. You can choose how often and how long you want to chat with your friend, either by phone, online, or face-to-face*.

In some cases, befrienders may also be able to support older people to settle back at home and regain their independence following discharge from hospital.

*Subject to geographical availability

Herondale Kingfisher - Activities Coordinator

Bringing communities together

Our befriending service is more than just a service. It is a community of older people and volunteers who care for each other and enjoy each other’s company. By joining our befriending service, you can make new friends, stay connected to your community, and improve your quality of life.

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Telephone & online befriending

A regular conversation (usually weekly) over the phone or online chat with a carefully matched volunteer. Offered throughout Britain and is ideal for older people who prefer to stay at home or have limited mobility.

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Check & chat

A shorter conversation (usually monthly) to provide a reassuring regular contact. This is a popular service for those who appreciate light touch support and can also be a steppingstone into befriending.

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Be-Friend

A friendship building service to bring together like-minded people via telephone or online, supported by a trained volunteer.

Write good friends

Share letters, email, or instant messaging with a friendly volunteer.

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LGBTQ+ telephone befriending

Supporting older people who may identify as LGBTQ+ and are at greater risk of loneliness and depression, or would benefit from talking to a volunteer about the LGBTQ+ community.

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Face-to-face befriending

Enjoy activities with a volunteer who visits you regularly. You can chat, have tea and cake, play cards, or anything else. The befriender will listen and help you find other support if needed. Subject to geographical availability.

Ready to find friendship and end loneliness?

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Receive support from a befriender

Due to high levels of demand, MHA is temporarily unable to accept new applications for our befriending service.

In the meantime, if you are looking for a friendly chat or someone to listen and offer support, we recommend visiting the Befriending Networks website, where you can find other organisations offering befriending services to suit your needs.

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Become a volunteer befriender

By registering to become a face-to-face or telephone/online befriender, you can help older people in your local community and beyond to feel more connected, valued and happy.

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Community groups & activities

Whether you like crafts, games, quizzes, or cheerleading, you will find something to enjoy at your nearest MHA Communities scheme. We have something for everyone, no matter what your interests or abilities are.

smiling woman holding two small flags, each displaying the logo of "mha" along with the slogan "Live later life well"

Support our work

As a national charity, our befriending service can only be delivered by the charitable support of our volunteers, fundraisers and corporate partnerships. We need the support of amazing people like you to continue our work and enable even more people to live later life well.

More about supporting MHA

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)