6,000 calls made to vulnerable people by community hub

VOLUNTEERS from local community organisation the B-Friend Hub have made more than 6,000 calls to vulnerable people in the Omagh, Strabane and Fermanagh areas in the last year.

The initiative has been brought forward by the Omagh Volunteer Centre (OVC) and has seen an increase in calls to those in need in the area as coronavirus restrictions mean face-to-face meetings with vulnerable people have halted.

Thirteen volunteers have made 6,168 calls since March 2020, according to B-Friend Hub project coordinator, Jo Finlay.

“The Home Visit Befriending was unfortunately put on hold in March last year,” she said. “We hope to be able to resume our home visits perhaps when the weather has improved and with a new focus on socialising safely.”

She added that while the remote aspect of the Befriending project has grown, she stressed the importance of restarting home visits when safe to do so.

“Whilst the Telephone Befriending aspect of the project has grown and is flourishing, our clients and volunteers agree that we really need to meet people face to face as soon as it is possible to do so.”

Jo praised the efforts of her team during such a challenging time.

She said, “I have a group of 13 volunteers in the Omagh area and they have been amazing during the challenges of the past year. They come from all walks of life and are aged 18 to 68 years young.”

Volunteer, Shirlee McKeown, said it has been a pleasure to be involved with the project.

“It’s a pleasure to do it. It was tough during the pandemic as we couldn’t do home visits but I volunteered to do the phone calls.

“I wanted to help people who were lonely and isolated, as I know I would love someone to do it for me if I was on my own.”

Shirlee said the impact the service has had on people she had spoken to had been noticeable.

“We are kept matched up with the same clients so we hear from them regularly. They are very pleased to hear from you and it’s just a matter of listening. They are all very unique and different people.”

Jo encouraged elderly people or their relatives to get in touch to avail of the free and confidential service.

“Now we are open to taking on more clients in Omagh. The chats we have are great. We laugh, we have shed the odd tear, we give helpful advice and signpost to services needed. “Our volunteers know they are helping, in a way that they can, during these challenging times. The service they help to provide has been a vital social and emotional connection for the older people in our communities.”

• The project coordinator added that anyone who is lonely and/or socially isolated, who would like a friendly chat on the phone, to call Jo Finlay on 07591 952133 or email jo@thebefriendhub.org.