We offer a Telephone Befriending service that aims to provide adult unpaid carers in Gateshead and the person they care for with some company and a friendly person to chat to once a week and the chance to have a break from their usual weekly routine.

The aim is to help reduce social isolation and loneliness, as well as to improve their emotional wellbeing.

We are continuing to maintain existing befriending relationships but are unable to offer new relationships at the moment. If you would like to access befriending services in Gateshead, we can still refer you or the person you care for to other local organisations that are currently offering new befriending opportunities.

About our Befrienders

We have a lovely, friendly team of volunteer Telephone Befrienders available who can call a carer or cared for person that is registered with us for a chat at a mutually agreed time every week.

They're passionate about helping carers and their cared for person, and many have personal experience of being a carer themselves.

All Befrienders are given a full induction, relevant training, and a Disclosure, and Barring Service (DBS) check before starting their role.

Befrienders are matched with a carer or cared for person that they are most suited to and have the most in common with while taking into account any specific preferences the carer may have.

If you'd like to find out more about our Telephone Befriending service, please contact us.

Click here to read our Carer Telephone Befriender Leaflet.