Help needed amid growing waiting list for HOPe – Helping Older People New Forest – befriending service

A CHARITY which helps lonely and isolated New Forest pensioners is making a plea for help after being inundated.

HOPe – Helping Older People New Forest – lacks the numbers on its befriending team to take on the current list of 30 needing support, on top of the 40 current users.

Steve Anderton, the charity’s general manager, told the A&T it had been “a victim of our success”, with more people seeking help, particularly post-Covid.

But the pandemic also hit volunteer numbers, which at one point dropped right down to two. There are now 40, but more are needed.

“It hurts us greatly that we can’t provide this service to all who need it because we don’t have the people,” Mr Anderton said.

“Our befriending volunteers meet with each client at least once a week for a cup of tea, a piece of cake and a chat.

“The people we see often don’t see anyone one day to the next.”

HOPe covers the western part of the New Forest – from New Milton to Fordingbridge, and is particularly short of volunteers for New Milton, Lymington and Milford.

Citing the area’s “skewed age profile”, Mr Anderton explained there were some in their 70s and 80s whose friends had all died.

Although they might have relatives, these are often scattered elsewhere – even globally.

“They don’t see anyone just to have a good natter with,” he continued.

“This is very detrimental to their mental wellbeing. It’s statistically proven that loneliness causes people to isolate further from their community.

“New Milton has an abundance of things to do, but if a person gets into a pit, they find it hard to get out and get involved.

“Our secondary aim is to help them build confidence so they can reconnect with their community – go to events at the community centre, the memorial hall or wherever.”

Mr Anderton said volunteers, who are matched to clients through shared interests, can take them to appointments and go shopping with them.

HOPe launched 11 years ago, but the befriending service had only just got off the ground when the 2020 outbreak happened.

Its genesis was a service Mr Anderton started independently in Milford before joining HOPe, which absorbed the service into its scheme.

Care navigators at doctors’ surgeries often refer patients to the befriending service.

“No one else does what we do,” Mr Anderton said. “There’s no other befriending services – not unless you pay for it. We don’t charge a penny.

“Friendliness and compassion is what everybody wants, and it’s really sad because these people used to have that.

“We always welcome volunteers with open arms. To have too many would be a good thing to have. As many as want to come forward would be much appreciated.”

Those who can help should visit hopenewforest.org/befriending, email befriending@hopenewforest.org or call Mr Anderton on 07894 901 072.