West London charity calls for volunteers to help people with mental health problems and loneliness

Befriending charity BEfriend is today launching a campaign to recruit volunteers to Linked Minds, its befriending service for people in Hounslow who are experiencing loneliness due to a diagnosed mental health problem. 

Volunteers with Linked Minds meet with people who are lonely. They meet for an hour or two a week to have a chat and strike up a friendship. 

A video released today highlights the relationship between a volunteer, Shivam, and Roger. Roger is someone supported by BEfriend and has been matched with Shivam, whose visits are eagerly anticipated. Roger says they "fuel me for the rest of the week". 

BEfriend is commissioned and funded in Hounslow by the Hounslow Borough Based Partnership.

Full support for volunteers

Volunteers receive full training when they sign up and have a coordinator, who will work with them throughout their volunteering journey. 

The professional nature of this training, and the experience volunteers gain by spending time with someone who has complex mental health needs, means volunteering can be done as part of a placement for some counselling, psychotherapy or psychology courses. 

But BEfriend is not just looking for someone who is studying in these fields, anyone with a real interest in helping people can apply to volunteer. 

Volunteers work with their coordinator and the befriendee to come up with a plan to help them build a social network and imagine a brighter future. This could include joining a club or taking part in group activities.

Councillor Lily Bath, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Integration, said: “Having a mental health problem can leave people feeling isolated, so Linked Minds is a really valuable project that helps people in Hounslow who need it most. 

“The Council is delighted to support BEfriend’s amazing work in Hounslow alongside our health partners and I can’t wait to see the new volunteers who come forward to build more life-changing relationships like Shivam and Rogers.”

Rachel Hill, Chief Executive, BEfriend, said:

“Our Linked Minds project has so far supported many people with mental health problems in Ealing and Hounslow, but we’re eager to support more as the demand is certainly there.

“To do this we need more volunteers, and I know there are many kind and generous people in Hounslow who are looking for a way to help others. As Shivam mentions in our video, being a Linked Minds volunteer really is an inspiring journey and will give you an enormous sense of pride and fulfilment. Seeing the difference that befriending has made to Roger has been so moving, and I can’t wait to see more people supported in this way.”